Friday 20 August 2021

Making decisions

 

There I was, ironing the creases out of crêpe paper and watching football on TV; and I started to think of times gone by when I had to make many a decision on the spot, or after long deliberations, even.

Decisions are often difficult to make. I've always been a little indecisive, but as I grew older I became less sure. For example, I can never decide whether to buy crunchy or smooth peanut butter. So I get neither and buy some Guinness instead.

Anyway, there I was watching TV one day when the kids came in with their new pet, a young and lively golden Labrador. "We're thinking of calling him Tulip", they said. 

"That's a silly name for a dog," I replied, "you need to call him something masculine to make him feel proud!"

"What shall we call him?" they cried.

The film Jaws was on TV, so I said, "call him Shark".

That was a bad decision when I had to call a runaway dog on the beach the following year.

Another bad decision is when I received a letter from the Headmaster of the children's school. Apparently, the Religion teacher had asked one of my children, "who broke the walls of Jericho?"

The child replied, "not me". Probably in jest. I don't know. The teacher told the headmaster and the headmaster wrote to me.

In sheer frustration and a little irritation ... I can't remember the right proportion of each, I picked up the phone and rang our priest. He was, after all, one of the school governors. 

He was very kind and promised to speak to the headmaster and get the wall fixed and paid for from the maintenance budget.

Anyway, that decision to ring the priest worked out OK at the end. Do you ever find yourself in difficult situations and you don't know what decision to make? 

This happened to me years ago when I was travelling on business. It had been a long day and I got to my hotel room really tired. I just wanted to go to bed.

There was a knock on the wall from the room next to mine and a voice said, "Is anybody there? I need help. I have fallen. Is any body there?"

How inconsiderate of him to pray so loudly, I thought. I knocked back on the wall and said, "We are all fallen. It is our sinful nature. Do me a favour mate, and pray silently!"

He knocked back and cried loudly, "I have fallen. I need help. I need help."

In sheer desperation I put a pillow over my head so that I could not hear him.

Bad decision. The Tooth Fairy wanted to take all my teeth. I told her in no uncertain terms where to go. Never put a pillow over your head or she'll get the wrong message.

Anyway, the next morning as I was going down for breakfast, I noticed there were ambulance men in the room next to mine.

I told one of them, "It's a priest this man needs, not one of you!"

I don't think the ambulance man understood me. He looked at me with disdain and told me to move on.

Just because he's got a uniform he has no right to speak to me like that. I'm not a moron, you know!

I wish I was better at decision-making, though.

25 comments:

  1. ...making a decision is so difficult for some, they are afraid to make a mistake.

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    Replies
    1. I am experienced at making mistakes, Tom.

      God bless.

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  2. Decisions are rarely easy, Victor. Thanks for making me laugh today!
    Blessings!

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    Replies
    1. We should all decide to laugh every day.

      God bless, Martha.

      Delete
  3. Some of us make our decisions by not making a decision. Avoidance is the issue. Funny stories, Victor!
    Blessings!

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    Replies
    1. Yes that's true. Avoid the problem until it becomes a bigger one for someone else to deal with. I've seen that many times.

      God bless, Lulu.

      Delete
  4. "Not me!" Yep, I laughed out loud at that one.
    Pulling petals off a flower always used to help me make a decision.

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    Replies
    1. Pulling petals off a flower is as good a method as any at making decisions.

      God bless, Mevely.

      Delete
  5. Dearest Victor,
    Those were some funny ones, except for the desperate, fallen hotel guest...
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    Replies
    1. I'm not serious, Mariette. Honest. I'm not.

      God bless always.

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    2. Poor fellow calling out for help to no avail. I'm sure you would have made the right decision had you not been overcome with tiredness. I absolutely hate it when I have a big decision to make. Blessings, Victor.

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    3. Making decisions can be very difficult at most times, Nells. Especially when we're tired.

      God bless.

      Delete
  6. The more you practice making decisions the easier they get.

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    1. I'd better start practicing now. Peanut butter or Guinness? GUINNESS!

      That was easy.

      God bless, Kathy.

      Delete
  7. I like to ask God to help me make a decision.

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  8. Some decisions are easy, and some require a lot of prayer. Some i don't like to make at all. Vanilla or chocolate, for example. Why can't i have both?

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    1. There is no reason why you can't have both vanilla and chocolate. I also like chocolate with baked beans.

      God bless, Mimi.

      Delete
  9. If you want to make up your mind, just put some lipstick on it...Oh crap, I've been reading to many of your posts!

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    Replies
    1. Good one, JoeH. We'd make a good double act!

      God bless.

      Delete
  10. Shame on you! When someone knocks on your wall and asks for help, you should at least inquire about the sort of help he needs and phone down to the desk to get someone sent up to help. Ignoring was a very poor decision.
    Of course this may not be a true story, which makes my out burst a wrong decision also.

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    1. I thought he was praying aloud, River. You know how some people are. They want the world to know they are praying. They are fallen and sinful. And they are forgiven.

      God bless.

      Delete

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