Published: November 25, 2008 11:37 am         

Bad decisions can affect more people than you think

Commentary by Danielle Pelkey

The North Jefferson News



Let’s talk serious.

I want to discuss a matter that has been weighing on my heart for a few months now. The matter is “cause and effect.” You see, there are so many people in this world who think that what they do only affect them. This is not the case.

Your actions have a ripple effect on everyone around you. Just think of the drug addict who doesn’t see what his addiction is doing to his own daddy and brothers. I can name people who have ruined their whole family and torn them apart because they refused to open their eyes and see that what they were doing had an effect on all those around them.

It isn’t just the huge things like drug addicts. It can be as small as not making it to a family event that you were invited to attend. When you start slacking on this area, the family starts to get concerned and then they usually jump to crazy conclusions. Why not just nip it in the bud and go to the event? It would be better for you and for your family.

I can think of at least five people in my life right now that probably have no idea that their decisions are having such a large effect on my own personal life. It may not be by my choosing, but if it affects those around me, then it affects me.

It is a very selfish thought pattern when you are so wrapped up in yourself that you refuse to look at who else your decisions might effect. Stop thinking of yourself for half a minute and think of your friends and family members. They care about you, even if you don’t know it.

I have yet to hear of suicide not having any effect on those around them. Yet that is what you see written on so many suicide letters, that no one would miss them if they were gone.

I know this isn’t my usually “happy go lucky” type of column, but I have been heavily burdened by the choices of other people here lately and I needed to really get this out in the open.

When a father chooses to leave his wife and children, it doesn’t just affect the wife and children. It also affects the moms and dads, grandparents, friends, co-workers and anyone that they may know. Bad choices wreak havoc on those around you.

Good choices lift up those around you. It can be as small as helping an elderly lady to her car with her groceries. That would be a choice that she may go home and tell her husband about. When he hears, he may just get the unction that he needs to go out and do a good deed for someone else. See how the ripple effect can be positive or negative? It’s just a matter of how we choose to accept or deny these simple truths.

Just because you don’t want to believe it, it doesn’t change the fact that every action that you take has some type of reaction on those around you.

Now act like it! Act with respect and honor and servanthood and it will help to make the world a better place, at least for those around you.