THE POWER OF CHOICE

One of the benefits of living in a free society is the freedom of choice and the inherent right to do so. Many times we find ourselves in situations where the choice we make becomes very costly. Life or death, freedom or incarceration, success or failure, all depend heavily on the choices we make and the outcome of choices fate. Yet, sometimes we take for granted the significance of ensuring that we make the right day to day choices. Because we are so prone to make a hundred of choices on moment notices. We really don’t pay much attention to its consequences unless that choice brings about an unpleasant sum of misfortune.

In Greek mythology it was written that the god’s sitting on mountain Olympia was said to have to complete vision into the future. They saw everything in the most precise detail up to its final minute. Unfortunately we as humans are not equipped with the ability to foresee into the future nor do we have a crystal ball to serve as a guide to fortune telling. Life would be much easier of we could see what lied ahead in every twist of fortunate waiting around the corner. Despite these shortcoming we can increase the chances in making the right choices in life if we only gear our thinking toward the consequences of every action.

Cardinal De Retz, the seventeenth century Freshman wrote “ why people mostly fail is their being too frightened at the present danger and not enough so as that which is remote” it’s the consequence that are remote the ones that we fail to consider, if we could only see them as they take shape, we would avoid many mistakes and a lot of pain. Consequences are the breed and butter of the choices and the hand that hovers over our fate. A sixth century fable illustrates the power in choices and the consequence that it entails. Two frogs dwelt in the same [poo; being dried up under the summer’s heat, they left it and set out together to seek another home. As they went along they chanced to pass a deep well amply supplied with water in seeing which one of the frogs said to the other. “{let us descend and make our abode in this well it will furnish us with shelter and food” The other replied with great caution. But suppose the water shall fall us. How can we get out again from so great a depth? Do nothing without regard to the consequences!

As we undoubtedly approach the decision in the Alton Sterling case let us reflect on the events of last year July 5, 2016 Alton Sterling killed by B.R.P.D. July 17, 2016 Eugene Long shoots 6 Baton Rouge Police officers killing 3 and August 12, 2016 the Great Flood not to mention the amount of violence and senseless killings that took place and we could never leave out crime. I sat down with a elected official whom I have a great deal of respect for and he said something that has stayed in my gut, ( If we don’t all learn something from this and let it make us better than SHAME ON US! ) I pray that this will not be a SHAME ON US and that we will work together to move our city forward.

What ever the outcome of this maybe let us show the WORLD we can deal with it decent and in order just as we have done, And let the shame be on those that it may fall upon.