Recon’s Black Ops

If I teach my girls one thing in this life, I want them to learn this truth:

It’s just not all about me.

We often think that when we make choices, they only affect what we can perceive they affect … and that is usually limited to ourselves or a few very specific people.

There are some other truths that come into play here, and those are the truths that life is neither fair nor equal. And that is biblical. When my kids whine that, “It’s not fa-ir, Mom-my!” I tell them to add it to the [very long] list. (For the record, they don’t like that very much.)

Being that life is neither fair nor equal, the consequences of our choices or others’ choices are often neither fair nor equal. For example, when an eight-year-old lies to Mommy, they might think the consequences are such that their life is coming to an end, but when an eighteen-year-old lies, it could land them in jail.

Another truth that falls under this is that some choices we make are such that we get a second chance, and some choices we make are such that we never get another chance. There’s a great children’s book that illustrates this well. The Nineteenth of Maquerk is about two Caterpillows who are to begin making their cocoons. One is diligent and completes his on time; the other is lazy, makes excuses, and never gets his done. The consequences are that the one gets to turn into a beautiful butterfly, but the latter must remain a caterpillow.

I am not a financial analyst by any means, but I found this article dated February 25, 2009, from the Neilson Company interesting. The article stated that, “Tiger’s absence almost singlehandedly sliced tour ratings in half,” when he was out due to injuries. The recent revelations of his choices, whether they are all true or not, have caused him to take a leave from the game. His absences affect the whole sport of golf. His choices are simply not just about him. Because of his well-earned fame in his sport, that may not be fair nor equal, but it is reality.

In another children’s book, Meet Kaya, about a Native American girl from 1764, Kaya disobeys her parents, puts her siblings in danger, and must face the tribe’s disciplinarian, the Whipwoman. Whipwoman decides Kaya’s choice carried such weight that she called all the children in and gave all the children a whipping. This caused the children to give Kayaa negative nick-name which she had to live with for many years. Since Kaya’s choice affected the whole tribe, her consequences did, too.

I consciously work to instil these truths into the minds and hearts of my children. Sure, there are some choices that will only affect me, but most of the time, my choices will affect at least one someone else. The choices can be for both good and bad, the most recent, famous, “good” example being Pilot Chelsey B. Sully Sullenberger. Mr. Sullenberger worked hard for years, and when that choice came up, he was ready.

May we work hard and be prepared, and when those choices come up, and they will come up, may we be ready to make the ‘good’ choice over the ‘bad.’