Think. Things. Through.

A great little alliterative approach, illustrative of how we should behave, as Catholics, and as people in general. In our family, it became like a little mantra my parents would repeat to reground us, make us stop and think about our actions before we moved on with (perhaps) a bad decision.

The origin of this refrain for us was a pithy and piercing sermon given by our pastor one Sunday many years ago. He would usually begin his homilies with a short phrase, repeated within the homily a few times, as the idea was fashioned, molded purposefully before us. This teaching method helped us retain the messages he gave each week, clearly, since his words became a constant through my teenage years and into adulthood. I may have even repeated these words to my own children every now and again.

Think. Things. Through.

We do tend to make quick decisions these days, though I don’t think the concept is new. Today is just so much easier to find false comfort in this digital, social media and share it with all the world. Currently, the products of our decisions can be permanent, at least more than they were in the 90’s.  Now, the consequences of our decisions stay in the social media forum for all of posterity. I personally know employers who’ve passed over potential employees because of posts made, pictures shared, comments left, none of which add up to the type of personality desired in an employee at their establishments.

Think. Things. Through.

This poetic directive device became an important lesson 30 years ago, and it remains an essential concept still. Establishing the routine of stopping, stepping back, praying a moment and re-evaluating the current which could drown us or carry us to safe places is elemental. Putting our toes in while we think through the next step ought to be a mainstay in our daily actions.

Think it through, pray about it, pause, and make the conscious decision to act or not act: either is a decision and should be purposeful.