Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Choices


When people talk about personal responsibility, the ideas that often come to mind are green efforts, local charity, helping the little old lady cross the street or mentoring an Eagle Scout. But how often do people associate personal responsibility with taking care of themselves and making the right choices so that those very actions of responsibility ultimately take care of the people in their inner circle that mean the most?

I ask this question as the direct result of the pirate efforts of Somali pirates in the capture and ultimate murder of four American citizens. Two of the Americans, ship owners Jean and Scott Adam, were on a world cruise with crewmates Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle.

News articles reference a missionary voyage with bibles passed out. As good as that sounds, it just all rings hollow with me. Yes, the world may be a better place if the kind actions and good intentions of the Adams result in even one changed life path of a person they impacted in their journey. BUT… what about the people they left behind? What about people like ME that have never even met the Adams or the Macays yet struggle with the decisions that were made, pondering the choices made, wondering if one small change of course could have altered the final outcome.

Not only was the choice made to sail in pirate territory, but also made to leave the safety of a group of other sailors and go off on their own. Articles reference that the Adams knew the dangers and willingly sailed in to some of the most dangerous waters in the world. What a bunch of egotistical bullshit! What made them think that they would be treated any differently? Even if they go back to the Bible stories that they were trying to spread, God always asks for the ultimate sacrifice of his chosen ones, or so I feel in my uneducated knowledge of biblical stories. What did they hope to achieve in their chosen actions?

I’m left depressed. So sad in the knowledge that the lives of four people could have been saved but for a different choice in travel plans. Yes, we must all follow the paths our own travels take us. All I ask is that people not only choose the best path for themselves, but for those around them. Ask, is it good enough that I make a positive change for one person, or risk everything for the mere possibility of impacting more and mortally wounding the souls of the people we love the most.

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