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I had all these thoughts in my head before I went to bed yesterday. I had a big decision to make but was too worried to make any headway from my thoughts. I finally got to relax and asked myself, 'Why have I not decided on what to do?', and 'What was making it difficult for me to make this decision?'. These questions helped me focus my attention on what was really the problem, and that helped me decide. The problem was my 'Liberty'.
In the ordinary sense, some people define 'Liberty' to be from external rule(independence), freedom from captivity(confinement), or just freedom as it relates to our fundamental human rights. But it goes way beyond that. We, as human beings, live in a world where everything we do affects other people. And even the littlest of things like deciding whether or not to turn off your phone before bed could affect someone. Someone might need your help in one way or another and decide to contact you. If your phone is on, you could wake up and help the person. And if not, the person has to look for another way to find help. Your liberty to do what you want may be affected by what others want. And that was what was holding me back from making a decision yesterday.
For the sake of peace, stability, and sanity, we ought to create a balance, know when to be selfish and when to be selfless. A great number of our problems began when someone decided not to consider how their decision would affect others. If we learn to take that into consideration, our decision-making process would be more focused. I'm not saying that all of our decisions should be what will please others, that is almost impossible, and will lead to an unhappy life for the decision maker. But some decisions, especially those that will affect others greatly, should be made with others in mind during the decision-making process.
The 'others' to consider might not necessarily be the whole world; it may be your siblings, friends, immediate family, neighbours, colleagues at school or work, or even your boss. It maybe people you don't know at the cinema, or church, or at the bus station. Every little detail counts in making decisions. That's the difference between a good decision and a great decision. We aim to live exemplary lives. So let's start small. You don't know who's watching. You have the freedom to be and do what you want, but considering others, although it may limit that freedom, it could be the 'plus' in our lives.
The 'others' to consider might not necessarily be the whole world; it may be your siblings, friends, immediate family, neighbours, colleagues at school or work, or even your boss. It maybe people you don't know at the cinema, or church, or at the bus station. Every little detail counts in making decisions. That's the difference between a good decision and a great decision. We aim to live exemplary lives. So let's start small. You don't know who's watching. You have the freedom to be and do what you want, but considering others, although it may limit that freedom, it could be the 'plus' in our lives.
That little consideration could go a long way, not just in making better persons of us, but, in the long-run, in making the world a better place.
- The Lady
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Galatians 5:13
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