Slow Down, My Children
Don’t rush through life
Dearest Children,
I’m writing to you because I love you and want the absolute best for you. I could give you iPads, iPhones, video games, televisions, and any other physical gifts your heart may desire, but the one gift you need the most — the one I must give you — is this advice: WAIT.
Don’t rush to love. Giving your heart away too soon is a bad way to spend it. When someone presents an opportunity to love, do your homework. Be careful. Find out who they are, where they come from, what they believe, what they do. Don’t be afraid to decline that relationship if they are not who your heart truly deserves. Most importantly, find out who you are first. You won’t know who your heart deserves if you don’t know your own heart.
Don’t rush to judge. Get to know who someone really is, not just what they look like. Examine situations completely before deciding what they are or what you should do. You may miss a wonderful opportunity by dismissing it too early. You may find yourself accepting horrible opportunities by accepting them too soon.
Don’t rush to buy. Don’t just buy something because you want it. Count the cost first. Be honest with yourself about whether you can really afford it. If it’s a luxury you can really live without, don’t be afraid to live without it. If you can afford it and don’t need it, consider using that money instead to help someone who does have need.
Don’t rush to start. Be cautious about jumping into a career before you’ve truly decided if it is what is best for your life. Don’t feel like you have to rush to college right away if the money isn’t right or if you know you’re not ready to meet the intense demands of being a student. Don’t give your body to someone before you’re ready just because they pressure you to, or you feel like the relationship will depend on it. Your life and your body are yours to give, not someone else’s to demand.
Don’t rush to quit. We all have bad days. Some of us have bad jobs, bad relationships, bad hobbies…KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. Don’t make life-altering decisions on the basis of a bad day or a bad week. Step back from those, breathe, pray for guidance, and make decisions after careful consideration.
Let every opportunity that you encounter breathe and develop before you either buy into them or dismiss them. Know everything you can about them before you decide what to do. Turn them inside out and upside down; examine them from all angles.
DO THE WORK. PUT IN THE TIME. Putting in the necessary time before making a decision will save a lot of time if they go bad for you.
My children, doing these things will not necessarily guarantee success in all situations, and they will not always prevent failure. My hope and prayer for you, though, is that following this advice will greatly increase your chances of doing life right and avoiding so many mistakes.
I tell you these things because I love you. I tell you these things because I did NOT do them.
With all my love,
Daddy
