Follow your Heart

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