Choices

An analogy of some choices made. I read an article a couple of days ago which stated that what we are today; our lifestyles, principles and the life we lead today are a big part due to some decisions we made before.

True to say that because we do have a large say on the consequences of our present moments except for those deemed a consequence on acts of God.

Incidentally while looking at the bright bougainvilleas in the garden yesterday I noticed the growth of the plants vary quite a bit based I believe on the decisions we made.

Take for example this pot of bougainvillea grown in a medium-sized pot and then placed within a large terra cotta pot. Can you guess the age of this plant?

This sweet thing has been with us since 1994 and it has been this height since day one albeit some trimmings here and there. This looks as though it's a controlled growth and it was never taken further than its original size for the last 16 years.

Some 8 to 10 years ago my mother gave me a stem cutting which looked like the above and we casually planted it on the ground.

It has since then grown and matured into this and today it's holding a clump of pretty bougainvilleas of a magnanimous shape and size.

On good seasons with the scorching sun above the spread can even be more majestic than this. It has become a climber that is the envy of my neighbours and friends and many still cannot believe that it grew from a humble stump.

So what do you think had been a wise decision? To let it maintain its original shape and look for the rest of its life or to allow it to grow free and easy? It's a choice. We can apply the same principles for decisions big or small and the consequences can turn out to be the above. Sometimes it's frightening to imagine a decision made wrongly and having to face the consequences.

Perhaps I can say that my present age does allow me to conclude that certain decisions will result in a certain set pattern; enough for me to say that sometimes I can be refered to for advice.

Just this evening Esther told me that she has plans to work in other places after her programme and I casually told her that Malaysia is the place. Have I been wise in that?

A further decision about the bougainvillea species was when we decided to place another stem cutting in a larger pot and let it grow.

It grew larger than the one I planted in 1994 but went under much trimming to have its size maintained.

Some months ago, dad wanted to create a new look. So he made some wooden panels for the climber to reach a greater height.

It seems a good decision for today it has climbed and created another look to the envy of many. So the garden today is a keeper of the plant alright. But it's prideful to have them and a most lovely sight to behold each day.

The hot season and scorching sun are perfect features for the bougainvilleas.

Back to the core matter again. I just want to convince myself again that indeed a decision made today can be the reason why we are what we are today.

Let's pray that whatever decision we make today will be within the approval of God and hopefully we face less painful consequences created by wrong decisions.