Today, I feel like getting on my soap box and giving a sermon to the masses. It’s much easier than giving a sermon to the massless. They tend to be more difficult to keep in one place, especially on a breezy day. But I digress…
Today’s topic is: Fear of consequence doesn’t equal a lack of choice.
Often, I hear people say things like “I had no choice”, “It was all I could do”, “There was nothing else I could have done”, “I can’t”, “I couldn’t”, I wanted to, but…”, “I like pie”, etc. To all those who say these things, I would like to tell you that, with the exception of the pie, you are lying to yourself. You have a choice. You can do it. To forbid is forbidden.
Allow me to explain. You limit yourself out of fear. You forbid yourself certain things because you are afraid of the consequences, or you are afraid of the responsibility. You want to rob a bank? Of course you do! Why don’t you? You say you can’t? Wrong answer. You can, but you fear getting caught.
Ok, so maybe robbing a bank is a little outside of your normal range of activity. Let’s try a few examples a little closer to home:
It’s time to pay the rent, but you really want that new Whee-Station-Box 5 videogame console. You pat the rent, because it’s the only choice. Wrong again. You have a choice. It’s not a pretty one, and I am not saying that you should get the Whee-Station-Box 5. You have the choice to pay the rent or suffer the consequences, in this case it would probably be eviction. You fear eviction, so you pay the rent. Pretty straightforward, I know, but it’s not always that easy.
You’re out at a club and there’s a guy or girl (depending on your preference) or several guys or girls (depending on your libido and proclivities) that you want to have sex with. You can’t do it. It’s wrong, you’re married, in a relationship, saving it for marriage, don’t want people to think that you’re a slut, etc. Wrong answer again. You can do it. It’s wrong? How is it wrong? You aren’t hurting anyone, and you are probably bringing a little joy and happiness into someone’s world. Married? Who says marriage has to be monogamous? They do? Who’s They? Why do They matter? If you are married or in a relationship, the only person who should even get to have an opinion is your significant other. If he or she is ok with it, go for it. Saving it? Why? They say that it’s how it is done? There They go again. Again, I say, why do They matter? Worried about what others might think? Worried about who? They? Nobody else’s opinion matters. They’ve probably got a few skeletons of their own. Besides, most of them are just cranky because they wish that they could get away with it. They can, but they don’t know that yet. You should teach them.
Getting the idea yet? You are free. Really and truly free. There is nothing that you can’t do. There is always a choice. Think about your choices and make them without fear. Don’t discard a choice out of fear. Look at the consequences and decide if they are real. Will it hurt someone? Will it bring joy to someone? Will it enlighten someone? Base your choices on reality, on the actual consequences, good or bad, not on opinion, and never on fear. Remember, the cruelest prison is the one that you build for yourself out of pain and fear. Break out of prison and step in to the light. Kallisti!
Live without dead time. Enjoy without chains.
Not-Quite-Right Irreverend Caliginos Gnosticos
Episkopos to The One Right and True Cabal of the Sacred Sock Monkey
Wroth like a zealot, believing in nothing and suspecting all. Annhilative, to the point of hyperbole. Passionate as napalm, yet contained and masterful like unto calligraphic strokes. We are now approaching the Aftermath, and it will shake the mountains asunder. There will be terrifying and uncontrollable events that will pave all for the Next Cycle in Her terrible works in this world. It will amaze us all.
