Weakest Link
Over the weekend, my nephew Josh came to visit his best cousin Robert (my son). Usually, Robert and Josh play video games, ride bikes and shoot hoops in the driveway -- this weekend started out as any other. Somewhere between Thursday evening and Friday morning though, Robert began to misbehave repeatedly. After the first couple of warnings, I confiscated his video game system. When that didn't seem to sting him into compliance, I made him stay inside - no hoops, no bike, no fun.
For the rest of the weekend, poor Josh sat in front of the television bored instead of playing basketball until he smelled like a puppy or pushing game controllers till his thumbs hurt.
Most of us are raised to be kind and considerate of others. We usually behave in this manner. Every now and again though, we make decisions without regard for how others may be affected - as if how we feel in the moment is all that matters. It is an act of selfishness - one with lasting repercussions.
Though we should not live our lives totally for others, we should try to remember that we are part of a society (i.e., work, family, social) that feels a real impact based on our actions. Like links in a chain, if one link is weakened, the entire chain is compromised.
If we allow love for self to outweigh concern for others, we may unknowingly burn bridges and cause undue stress to those closest to us. Pretending we are a lone ranger may feel good but it is an extremely risky behavior - especially if allowed to become the norm. Being thoughtful takes far more energy than dawdling through life detached but the rewards are much greater. When we remain mindful of our fellow man, our hearts and minds are filled with positive ideas -- the sort that are more beneficial to all involved.
For the rest of the weekend, poor Josh sat in front of the television bored instead of playing basketball until he smelled like a puppy or pushing game controllers till his thumbs hurt.
Today's Inspiration
One Tossed Stone Causes Many Ripples
Most of us are raised to be kind and considerate of others. We usually behave in this manner. Every now and again though, we make decisions without regard for how others may be affected - as if how we feel in the moment is all that matters. It is an act of selfishness - one with lasting repercussions.
Though we should not live our lives totally for others, we should try to remember that we are part of a society (i.e., work, family, social) that feels a real impact based on our actions. Like links in a chain, if one link is weakened, the entire chain is compromised.
If we allow love for self to outweigh concern for others, we may unknowingly burn bridges and cause undue stress to those closest to us. Pretending we are a lone ranger may feel good but it is an extremely risky behavior - especially if allowed to become the norm. Being thoughtful takes far more energy than dawdling through life detached but the rewards are much greater. When we remain mindful of our fellow man, our hearts and minds are filled with positive ideas -- the sort that are more beneficial to all involved.
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