Panda Ramblings, Follow your heart

[windwalker]

Most of us do the best we can everyday. It's just that some days our best is better than on other days. But if we do what our heart tells us is right then everything will come out ok. We will sleep better at night also, secure in the glow that we did do what was right and not what was popular.

I've been on the planet a long time, long enough to know that when you don't do what's right but what's popular the memories of that follow us all the rest of our days. When people need you it often interferes with what other people expect from you. You have to make decisions which has priority. I want to share an experience of mine, of a mistake I made, I followed my sense of obligation instead of my heart.

When I was the supervisor of the flight simulator at Nellis AFB. I was also the committee chairman for the base cub scout pack. I had a very sharp young airman working for me who was getting married soon and wanted to be the best he could be so he would get promoted ahead of schedule to better support his new wife to be. I had been helping him along with his military studies and he had just been chosen airman of the month for the squadron. Well I was leaving the base chapel where I'd been teaching a budgeting class and on my way to the scout meeting when he came up to me on the street with tears in his eyes. He said "Sarge I need to talk". Well I was running late for my scout meeting so I told him, "I have a meeting to go to but when it's over I'll call you". he said ok and walked away.

Well his girlfriend had called off the marriage, his reason for being driven. Well after I blew him off he went back to the dorm and started tearing it up. He even ripped a sink off the wall in the community bathroom. Then took an over dose of a prescription med. We got him to the hospital and he pulled through. But there was nothing I could say to him that would make up for my error of judgement. My explanation and my I'm sorry wasn't enough.

I went away from that experience with a new attitude toward the feelings of others. That is a big reason that my hand is always held out to help another. I have since then gone to collage to get a degree in social psychology and counselling. Then I spent 9 years serving as a first sgt whose job one was helping his troops. I was very very good at it because of what that young airman taught that young sgt many years before.

I don't think, I know that when you act from your heart and do what's right not what's popular you become a better person. You also become a happier person. You are at peace and content with what you have done, not laying awake at night worrying.

Thanks for reading.

Rambling Panda

 

[Steffwalks]

Thanks, Dave.

 

[K80K]

Good post Dave. I know I try to follow my heart in what I do every day.

 

[windwalker]

People, friends, family are not poker chips to be won and lost without a thought. Remember the kid that everyone picked on and made fun of in school. Now you feel bad that you were part of that and not someone who spoke out against that being wrong. We all carry the evil actions like that with us all our lives.

Our good actions don't haunt us years later but give us a cozy feeling when we need one.

One of the reasons the marathon is such a powerful influence on us is the people we help along the way and those that help us. Who can forget Ann and her ice at the 20 mile. Or looking up on the overpass and seeing that nutty angel Mat with his big Mickey hands.

Rambling Panda

 

[bunnyfoo]

Great post Dave! Thanks for the reminder

 

[bunnyfoo]

Oops duplicate post

 

[windwalker]

Oops duplicate post

Yeah I do that sometimes myself. Hi Vicky

Dave

 

[K80K]

People, friends, family are not poker chips to be won and lost without a thought.

Couldn't agree more. I do not ever take any decision I make when it comes to the feelings of any single person lightly. When put in tough situations where I could very well take the easy way out and choose one side or the other I take the pain on myself to try to stay neutral. However sometimes other people's actions force us to make a decision and when that time comes I make the decision that benefits the community as a whole beacuse my heart tells me to.

Remember the kid that everyone picked on and made fun of in school. Now you feel bad that you were part of that and not someone who spoke out against that being wrong.

I was that kid that everyone picked on and made fun of in school.

 

[windwalker]

Yep me to. My father was career military also so we moved a lot. Seemed like I was always the new kid in school. Interesting way to grow up. Now I realize that background helps me to adapt to new situations. At the time though I envyied those kids who could have long term friends.

I remember when we moved to Hawaii in the sixties and I went to a local school as the only non local kid in my class. I couldn' even really speak the dialect and had no idea of the meaning of the jagon the other kids used.

Now I'm pretty comfortable in most new situations.

Dave

 

[mousemgr2]

Excellent post, Dave. It's a good lesson for all of us. I've experienced recently that sometimes the right thing to do is not always the easiest thing.

Thanks again for a great reminder about what is important in life.