The Right Thing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

A new poem today. 

The 'right thing' for one person is not always the right thing for another; a trite, yes, but true enough comment, often overlooked by those inclined to rush to judgement on others. Indeed, the latter are often inclined to judge us less by our actions and their consequences than for the choices - as they see it - we make to precipitate them given that, yes, we can so easily get it wrong.

No one - even loved ones - know us better than we know ourselves. As for choices, these are rarely as simple as meet the human eye, especially that of an onlooker, however involved and/or directly affected he or she may be.

Self-awareness is a heavy responsibility that all of us carry through life; it is the sum of that same mind-body-spirit we do our best to nurture, but which is often inclined to send out mixed messages that we select, home in on and interpret one way. while others may well follow the same process but interpret differently, and presume to 'judge' us accordingly.

We can but try to do the 'right thing' by ourselves and others even if it involves hard choices between 

- and consequences for - one or the other.  Sometimes, it can appear to be a no-win situation, but - as I have said before on the blogs, and speak from personal experience - never underestimate the power of mind-body-spirit to find a way through any subsequent maze of sense-and-sensibility.

A word, now, to those young people affected by the current examination results crisis. I actually sat my A-levels many years ago so my circumstances were very different. Even so, I needed at least two A-levels to follow my first choice career, and  only managed one. My world fell apart, and no one really understood or made any practical suggestions. Somehow, though, I steered a very rough passage through the next seven years, went to university as a mature student, achieved a better degree than anyone expected, and subsequently achieved a professional qualification in that same first choice career I'd chosen at school. The worst was not over yet - a nervous breakdown would see to that - but even then mind-body-spirit steered me into my 40's and I have been happy enough since.

Would I have had things different? Yes, of course, but various choices to effect that difference were only available to me at various stages of my life.I could not even go with the flow, but had to rely on changing tides,  as I suspect do many of us. 

Hope really does spring eternal, but also needs our help to do the right thing by us ... eventually.

THE RIGHT THING

I form the ties that bind

such life forces of mind-body-spirit

as provide a learning curve

for all human history to learn, regress

or stand still, measuring

human progress by acts of kindness

and understanding

towards others, regardless of ethnicity,

creed, place in society

I make allowances for mistakes

that (at least) teach us never to repeat

the same again, forgiving

(if never forgetting) any slow learners

in the games people play,

whether pushing to get their own way

by pulling strings or relying

on self-awareness to sustain integrity,

avoid notoriety

Be we a winner, loser, an also-ran

or might-have-been but for this or that

person or consequence

tracking our strengths and weaknesses,

no time for excuses;

it’s mind-body-spirit shapes

the ships we sail through life, our hands

on the wheel tackling rough

and smooth, sink or swim, no one else

to blame …

I am Self Awareness, urging (never forcing)

us to home in on, and do the right thing

Copyright R. N. Taber 2020