Warning Signs
“The pride of youth is in strength and beauty, the pride of old age is in discretion.”
Some may already be familiar with the story of the man driving down a two lane mountain road and as he approaches a sharp bend up ahead, a woman coming from the opposite direction swerves her car into his lane as she comes out of the curve and almost runs right into him. “Pig!” she yells at him, as she rounds the corner, “Cow!” he yells back feeling smug at the insult she had coming to her, he turns at the bend in the road and runs straight into a pig.
Sometimes we misinterpret well meaning advice as unsolicited life coaching and we fail to heed warnings from others who have survived perilous situations because we think we’re different and aren’t susceptible to the foolish choices others make. I have been on the receiving end of warnings of potential dangers from those I’ve trusted and respected while traveling on my own road. At times, I’ve taken heed to avoid mishaps, but sometimes in my pride, I have not and suffered for it.
In our effort to “blaze our own trail” or “take the road less traveled” we as men often blind ourselves to the warning signs others provide to avert us from adversity up ahead. Men like to think we’re the masters of our destiny even in our most weakest and neglected state; and in our instability and depravation we become foolish masters who misgovern their "household".
Only until we begin to reflect on our condition, search eagerly, and see ourselves in our most vulnerable moments which cause us to cringe with regret, will we then become the wise master who applies his energies with intelligence, and conforms his thoughts to change the core of his being and ultimately, that of others.
Because each of our lives are filled with daily obligations and responsibilities of the common man, we may not have the luxury of spending much time analyzing the root of our behavior. When you consider most of the valuable treasures known to man are only found by regimented searching and mining, we will also discover riches that lay dormant if we dig deep enough into the mine of our own being.
In my own personal journey to be a better man, I must allow myself room to grow and to also make mistakes. I mustn't be too lenient on myself or yield to rationalizing self-centered actions that will keep me speeding down a dangerous road or my future sufferings will be greater by ignoring the warnings of common sense as well as from those who have already traveled that highway. The failures that keep me awake at night are the ones where I experienced, but neglected to heed the warning signs evident to everyone but me.
We take many common warnings for granted or may try to heed them at the last minute. Thunder may sound a warning but it’s too late to take shelter from the lightning. The cautionary tales of ancient insight, including biblical writings give each of us a testimony of warnings. It takes discerning and unbiased wisdom to apply these admonitions when they conflict with the desires of our own hearts, but if you choose to ignore them, you may end up in a place you were never meant to experience.
The most common reminder of how little time we have to become better men is fastened on our wrists. The watch we wear is a constant indication that the passing of time goes too quickly and though the regret for the things we did can be justified by time, it is regret for the things we did not do that are inconsolable. Every ending of a good story starts with “once upon a time”, let today be how your “once upon a time” starts and let it start by heeding the warnings of others.