Decisions ...

What's right may not be popular

What's popular may not be right.

.

Imagine that a bunch of children are playing on two railway tracks - one still in use while the other hasn't been used for a while.

.

Only one child plays on the unused track, while the rest of the kids are playing on the operational track.

.

You hear a train coming, and as being incharge of the interchange, you got to make a decision.

You can either change the course of the train to the unused track and save most of the kids, and let the lone kid playing on the unused track be sacrificed, or let the train go its way.

.

What would you do?

.

Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child.

.

Saving most of the children at the expense of just one child might seem rational, morally and emotionally.

.

But, the question here is, what wrong did the child choosing to play on the unused track do?

.

In fact he made the right decision to play at a safe place, isn't it?

.

Nevertheless, the lone child has to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger is.

.

This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday.

.

In our office, in our community, in politics and especially in a democratic society.

.

The minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority maybe, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.

.

The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined. And in the case that he is sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

.

.

Personally, I would not try to change the course of the train because I believe that the kids playing on the operational track would know very well that the track was still in use and they would have made a run for safety, away from the tracks, the moment they heard the train coming.

.

But, if the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never could have thought that the train would ever come on that track!

.

Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe, and if a train was diverted to that track, that could have put the lives of all passengers onboard at stake!

.

In the attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing just one child, I might end up with blood on my hands of a hundred more people on board the train.

.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made, we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.

.

.

The above scenario reminds me of a quote I heard sometime back:

.

"What's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right"

.

I guess, everybody is prone to making mistakes, that's why they put erasers on pencils. But life isn't such, and wouldn't it be better if instead of making a hasty decision, we took a little time to analyse it first, rather than regretting and cursing God for not giving us an eraser in real life?

Paradox ...

So much of life is a paradox

So much of life is neither one thing nor the other

It's both things at the same time

.

David Hyde Pierce

.

.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more but have less, we buy more but enjoy less. We have bigger houses but smaller families, more conveniences but lesser time. We have more degrees but little sense, more knowledge but fewer judgments, more experts but far more problems, more medicine but less wellness.

.

We drink too much drive too fast, smoke so much spend too recklessly, laugh too little get too angry, stay up late and get up too tired, read nothing and watch TV all day. We multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much and pray too seldom, love so rarely yet hate too often.

.

We've learned how to make a living but not how to live a life. We've added years to life but not life to years. We've been to the moon but not to a new neighbor next door. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things but not better things. We've cleaned up the air but polluted our soul. We've control the atom but not our pride. We write more but learnt less. We plan more but accomplish less. We've learned to rush but not to wait. We have higher incomes, but lower morals. We've built more computers but communicate with one another less & less. We long for quantity, but are short on quality.

.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, more kinds of food, but less nutrition. We see big men but small characters, steep profits but shallow relationships. These are days of two incomes and more divorces, fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips and disposable diapers, throwaway morality and one night stands, overweight bodies and pills to cheer to quiet to kill to make you sleep.

.

It's a time of fancy showrooms but nothing in stock. It's a time when technology brings you this message and you choose to hit close and not share your insight.

.

Remember

.

Spend some time with your loved ones - they aren't going to be around forever. Learn to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe 'cause that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Learn to give a warm hug to the one next to you 'cause that is the only treasure you can give that will never finish. Say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones and mean it too. Grandpa once said, 'A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.'

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moments for someday that person will not be there with you. Give time to love and give time to speak, share your precious thoughts before you go to sleep.

.

GooDNiGHT

Scars ...

“True Love burns the brightest, And the brightest flames leave the deepest scars."

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.

.

In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

.

His mother - in the house was looking out the window - saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.

.

Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.

.

From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let go."

.

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic, but, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

.

You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way but sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead.

.

The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

.

..

Are you proud of 'The Scars Of Love' on you?