The Wisdom in the Decisive Seconds

DECISIVE SECONDS: that precious moment where, for the provision of courage, patience, or faith, we take the time to do something for which later we would regret if we hadn’t taken that time to do that thing in the first place.

Life is in the decisive seconds.

Death is in the minutes, hours and days of regret.

Decisions made and committed to, to the point of action (or inaction), are wisdom.

When we understand that the full and sweepingly abundant, bliss-filled, life is all about wisdom—and that wisdom is all about practiced decisiveness—and we apply this golden principle—our lives can only improve and blossom. And we know it by our experience of life; confidence, trust and poise are attributes we enjoy.

A Poem About Decisiveness

Some moments hold a richness for what we may do,

If only we may have the awareness and the poise to act,

Decisiveness is the key, giving us the clue,

That regret is just an option, not a foregone fact.

What is far superior is knowing action now,

Will certainly foreclose on some facts of regret to come,

Decisive seconds are those where we bow,

To the Divine Hand of Wisdom;

And what a beauty it is now to succumb.

***

Alcoholics Anonymous declare that there are two common pests for the alcoholic—hurry and indecision. I’d argue that these are universal pests that drive us all to varying degrees of insanity.

I’d argue one more thing: that indecision leads to hurry—that awkwardness of spirit that has us undecided, swishing from one wave to another, on an ocean of uncertainty most our lives. No wonder we can never transcend the basic problems of habit that shackle us.

Taking the moment and running with it sounds rather inspiring, but most moments that are truly transformational appear banal apart from the awareness of their significance.

Doing what can be done now, in order that the many circular moments of regret do not appear later, is wisdom. The first action is seconds-long. The regret reaction is circular in that it recurs over and over, perhaps dozens of times, consciously and unconsciously.

There is wisdom in the decisive seconds, because we change the flow and direction of our destiny in that part of our lives. God honours our diligence. There is the mode of obedience about doing what can be (and should be) done now. God loves us all, but he is additionally pleased when we obey by willingness of personal will.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.