Leave it Alone

One of the most overpowering temptations when growing up is to attempt to try to operate some gadget or equipment that we see adults use. Sometimes we even push it as far as ignoring all the warnings our parents give and still try to do something we were told not to do. When we throw caution to the wind we sometimes end up doing huge mistakes that are accompanied by oppressive and agonizing consequences. Maybe some of you remember being told not to drive the car by yourself because you’re not ready yet. As soon as no one is home and the car keys are available we start the car and begin our grand adventure. Less than ten seconds later our grand adventure comes to a close with you smashing the rear fender on the side of the gate and taking the gate down with you. We end up with more or less a hundred years of being grounded and sentenced to clean the toilet twice a week for the next fifty years. Very similar we suppose to the Monopoly game move were we are told not to pass go, not to collect 200 and head directly to jail.

It was a simple rule – “if you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.” Mom and Dad would drill this into our brains on an almost daily basis. Sometimes we would totally get it and sometimes we would miss the wisdom in it altogether. It was not about our parents being selfish with the car or the power tools. It was really about minimizing the consequences or avoiding the penalties of a decision we did not take the time to think about.

It wasn’t a matter about whether the move was right or wrong, but that if it would be wise or unwise.

There are quite a few things today that we get into what seemed easy enough to handle in the beginning but transformed from being a spark to a forest fire. The simple decision to be angry about losing a parking lot space to an aggressive driver and then pick a fight over it is something that we really need to think about. This type of anger seems controllable at first but ends up with a kind of monstrous rage in a few seconds. Before you know it you are in a shouting match, a fistfight maybe or could end up losing your life or taking someone’s life instead. Well it looked like you could handle your anger when you first marched toward the other driver but when he started shouting back at you, everything just went into overdrive.

We are responsible for taking care of our health. Making a decision not to take dangerous drugs is a wise resolution to make. How many times have we heard stories where someone with an addiction just started off trying it out so to speak and is still trying it out many years after? In the meantime his job, his family and whatever self-esteem he once had is now all gone. There are many things we believe we can handle but in reality cannot.

It happens to the best and the worst among us. Lying, cheating and stealing have consequences that all of us given the breadth and width of these would surely think twice before attempting to go down this path. Our parents were trying their best to work out some wisdom into our lives by telling us time and time again – “If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.” Are you about to enter a situation that you know will cost you more than you will be able to pay? Are you about to do something that will take you on a journey you will ultimately regret? Allow us to help you rethink your values via our team development program. Call Dada at these numbers.