STAY AWARE WITHOUT LETTING FEAR STEAL YOUR JOY
I wish…
We didn’t need conversations like this.
But wisdom isn’t pretending…
Nothing bad can happen.
Wisdom is enjoying life…
With your eyes open.
I HATE THIS POST!
STAY AWARE WITHOUT LETTING FEAR STEAL YOUR JOY
I don’t like this subject.
In fact…
I hate having to write about it.
I would rather tell my granddaughter…
Go.
Explore.
Enjoy yourself.
Trust everybody.
Don’t worry.
Nothing will happen.
But love sometimes requires…
A warning.
Not because we want…
The people we love…
To become afraid of the world.
But because we want them…
To travel through it…
WISELY.
THE WORLD IS BEAUTIFUL…BUT
There are wonderful people…
Everywhere.
Helpful people.
Honest people.
Hardworking people.
People who would return…
A wallet they found.
People who would help…
A stranger.
People who would protect…
Someone in trouble.
But…
There are also people…
Who prey upon opportunity.
And pretending otherwise…
Doesn’t make us safer.
WORTHY NOTE
Awareness…
Is not fear.
Fear says…
“Don’t go.”
Wisdom says…
“Go…
But pay attention.”
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS…
BUT FOR WHOM?
Most people work…
For what they have.
They earn.
Save.
Budget.
Wait.
Sacrifice.
Then…
Eventually…
Purchase what they want.
But there are others…
Who decide…
They would rather take…
What someone else…
Worked for.
The thief…
Looks for opportunity.
The scammer…
Looks for vulnerability.
The predator…
Looks for distraction.
Your responsibility…
Isn’t to become paranoid.
It is simply…
Not to make their work easy.
STALKING
The average hardworking person…
Isn’t walking around…
Thinking like a criminal.
Thank goodness.
We leave work.
Go shopping.
Have dinner.
Visit friends.
Travel.
Celebrate.
Enjoy the holidays.
Our attention…
Is on living.
Unfortunately…
Someone else’s attention…
May occasionally…
Be on us.
That’s where…
Awareness matters.
WARNING?
Lock the door.
Know where you parked.
Don’t leave valuables…
Sitting in plain sight.
Pay attention…
When getting into your vehicle.
Be thoughtful…
About what personal information…
You announce publicly.
Look around.
Trust your instincts.
Travel together…
When circumstances call for it.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing fearful.
Just…
Good stewardship…
Of yourself.
I HAD TO TELL MY GRANDDAUGHTER
I remember…
Having to explain…
Some of these things…
To my granddaughter.
And while talking…
I noticed something.
I didn’t like…
What I was saying.
Here was someone…
With innocence…
And excitement…
And I was explaining…
Scams.
Danger.
Risk.
People who might…
Take advantage.
Part of me…
Wanted to stop.
But another part knew…
I couldn’t.
Because innocence…
Is beautiful.
Innocence without wisdom…
Can become vulnerable.
And love…
Doesn’t merely protect innocence.
It helps innocence…
Become wise.
NOTICE ANYTHING?
We sometimes advertise…
More than we realize.
The nice automobile.
Jewelry.
Technology.
Packages.
Travel plans.
Money.
Where we’re going.
When we’re leaving.
When we’re coming home.
Sometimes…
We’re simply enjoying…
What we’ve worked for.
Nothing wrong with that.
But enjoy it…
With some awareness.
There is no need…
To broadcast everything…
To everybody.
I HATE THIS POST!
There.
I said it again.
I don’t like…
Having to think this way.
But some things…
Need discussing…
BEFORE…
Something happens.
Because afterward…
Everybody suddenly…
Knows exactly…
What should have been done.
Wisdom tries…
To arrive…
Before regret.
FOR THE TAKING
During periods…
Of civil disorder…
I have watched footage…
Of people breaking into stores…
And carrying away…
Televisions.
Furniture.
Food.
Clothing.
And everyday merchandise…
That ordinary working people…
Normally save…
And pay for.
It is disturbing.
But I also noticed…
Something else.
BROKEN
Some people…
Are profoundly broken.
Financially.
Emotionally.
Morally.
Spiritually.
Sometimes…
Several at once.
That doesn’t excuse…
Stealing.
It doesn’t excuse…
Violence.
And understanding…
Why someone does something…
Doesn’t require…
Approving what they did.
But wisdom asks…
Another question.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS PERSON?
Some people…
Reach places…
Most of us…
Have never experienced.
Desperation.
Addiction.
Hopelessness.
Anger.
Entitlement.
Poverty of spirit.
Whatever brought them there…
Their actions…
Can still hurt innocent people.
So compassion…
And caution…
Must sometimes…
Walk together.
WORTHY NOTE
You can understand…
Someone’s desperation…
Without volunteering…
To become…
Its victim.
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
Crime may provide…
A momentary payoff…
For the person committing it.
But harm…
Keeps traveling.
The victim suffers.
Families suffer.
Businesses suffer.
Communities suffer.
And eventually…
The perpetrator…
May suffer too.
Nobody really…
Wins.
This is why…
We should help…
Where we reasonably can…
While maintaining…
Healthy boundaries.
Harm no one.
But don’t casually…
Allow yourself…
To be harmed either.
THE RICHIE REVERSE
Here’s the reverse…
I want you to remember.
The purpose…
Of becoming aware…
Of danger…
Is NOT…
To spend your life…
Thinking about danger.
It is exactly…
The opposite.
We learn…
How to protect ourselves…
SO WE CAN GET BACK…
TO LIVING.
Think about…
Defensive driving.
You don’t enter your automobile…
Terrified.
You buckle up.
Check your mirrors.
Watch the road.
Allow for mistakes…
Other drivers may make.
And then…
You enjoy the journey.
Life awareness…
Works much the same way.
MIND YOUR BUSINESS
Heads up.
Eyes open.
Know your surroundings.
Listen to…
That little warning…
Inside you.
Don’t become distracted…
At exactly the moment…
You should be paying attention.
And then…
Go about your business.
Laugh.
Shop.
Travel.
Celebrate.
Visit.
Explore.
Live.
Because if fear…
Makes you afraid…
To leave your house…
Then danger…
Has stolen something…
Without ever touching you.
Don’t give it…
That victory.
FINAL THOUGHT
I hate this post…
Because I would rather…
Tell you…
There is nothing…
To worry about.
But there is…
A better message.
There is plenty…
To LIVE about.
So don’t become…
Suspicious of everybody.
Don’t become…
Afraid of the world.
Don’t allow…
The possibility of harm…
To rob you…
Of joy.
Simply become…
A little wiser.
A little more observant.
A little more prepared.
And then…
LIVE.
Protect your peace.
Protect those you love.
Help others…
When you can.
Harm no one.
And remember…
The first order…
Of your business…
Is YOU.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
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