CHAPTER 1

Perception, Desire, Thought.The foundations for every action.

From: Anonymous

Decisions and Consequences

The greatest lessons are often taught by the simplest of means. Wecan hinder the growth process and development of the person in needof help by complicating the lessons we're trying to teach. Life itself isfull of lessons. There are many consequences tied to the decisions thatwe make. For instance, if we drive a car through a red light, we willmore than likely crash. The consequences of making the decision todrive through the red light not only caused us to crash, but could costus our life.

There are many consequences tied to the decisions that wemake.

But what if we're driving the car of life without a driver'slicense? What if you don't know what a red light or a yield signmeans? What if you're traveling on a highway, trying to reach aparticular destination, but you can't read the signs that will take youto where you're trying to go? What if the road you're traveling on isfull of potholes that you keep running over because you don't knowwhat potholes look like? What if it's very dark on the road you'retraveling down and your headlights are not working?

There are many consequences tied to the decisions that wemake.

When we're in a swimming pool, we usually don't consider thelifeguard until we're the ones drowning. We often ignore the flightattendant until (we are about to crash) the plane is about to crash.Life always takes on new meaning when death is knocking at ourdoor, or when times are hard. But when things seem to be goingwell, we often neglect the people or things that are truly important.We can listen to a friend who we may have known for thirty days,but we totally ignore people or family members who have knownus all our lives. We usually ignore the people that care most aboutus because of our ignorance or the contempt and disrespect thatfamiliarity sometimes breeds. And we pay for it in the long run. Andthe pay value of ignorance usually ain't good. Then when reality setsin, we start kicking ourselves in the rear end, or we start drowningin self misery which usually leads to a state of depression. Untreateddepression can lead to all sorts of abnormal or even insane behavior,because a depressed mind is a mind that's become diseased (diseased).A diseased mind can produce dangerous results.

Can we listen? Some of us never pay attention to what's beingsaid, and sometimes we honestly don't hear it if a person is talkingto us. We use all sorts of psychological blockout techniques. We looklike we are interested in what's being said, but in reality we're justwaiting to talk. Maybe it's because we feel that we are the only oneswho have something important to say. When we speak we wanteverybody to listen, and when they don't we become frustrated,sometimes to the point where a simple conversation (that's if we'reconversing) turns into an outright argument, or a fist fight, or worse.Many of us result to foolishness because we haven't learned or haven'tbeen taught how to listen. Listening is an art form that is easy forsome, but very hard for most of us. Do you ever say to yourself, aftersomething bad happens to someone else, "If they would have listened,things would not have turned out that way"? Do you recall askingyourself that same question after something not so good happens toyou? Sometimes we ignore ourselves. I ignore myself quite often. Ialso listen to myself. But I listen with reason, I ignore with reasonto try to make the decisions that are good for my social development.And I often make bad decisions, but less than before because I havereason. And what is reason? 1) The cause or motive for an action,decision, or conviction; 2) The capacity for rational thinking; 3) Tothink or argue logically; 4) To reach a conclusion by logical thinking.And what is logic? The study of reasoning, valid reasoning. Good oldfashioned common sense.

There are many consequences tied to the decisions that wemake.

The knots we tie can become other people's problems. It's kind oflike unconsciously setting a trap that others will fall victim to in thefuture. You know, like planting landmines, and not knowing it. Butsome people purposely plant landmines, knowing what the futureeffects of those landmines will be. Some form of death or destruction.When someone, or something tells you a lie that you believe to bethe truth, it could be a timebomb waiting to explode. You live fivedays, or in some cases twenty-five to fifty years believing the lie tobe truth. Then all of a sudden something happens and the truth isrevealed to you. When this happens, we usually react in one of threeways, or in some instances all three: 1) We experience an emotional/psychological death and feel mentally destroyed, causing us to actout; 2) We ignore it, in which case our reason is not working andthe mind is in a state of ignorance and denial, and as a result welive in misery, and/or; 3) We embrace the truth however hard it maybe and grow from it, in which case we're able to move on with ourlives. The knot we tie that can become other people's problems can beeither telling a lie, or refusing to acknowledge the truth. Either way,it's a landmine. Some of us are walking landmines, and walkinglandmines are deadlier than the ones that don't move.

The decisions that we make have a thousand consequences tiedto them.

1) Listening is an art, 2) Comprehension is a skill, and 3) Self-disciplineis a blessing. Depending on how you use the three, theycan be just the opposite. Listening without reason can alter yourperception and change reality. Comprehension without logic cancorrupt the decision-making process. And self-discipline withoutdirection can have you trapped in a state of repetitive behaviorthat is not conducive to your mental and physical growth anddevelopment. Arrested development and retardation are similar. Toarrest something means to stop, seize or hold it. When something isretarded, that means that it's progress has been impeded or slowed.Not listening, or listening without reason, can stop, seize, hold, orslow down your progress. It can also slow...