Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

May 8, 2017

Once you have thrown the rock into the water, you cannot stop the ripples.

We are powerless to control the impact and damage our behaviors and choices have on others.  This is like trying to stop the ripples in a pond after you throw a rock.  Unfortunately, we sometimes try to do just that.  We withhold information because we are afraid it will upset others.  We try to explain why our behavior or choice is not as bad as it seems.  Or, we lament the impact and embrace the label of “hopeless and helpless.”  None of these reactions is effective.  It is better to own our consequences and learn to not throw the rock in the first place.

When have I tried to control the consequences of my behaviors and choices?  Was this helpful in the long run?  What gifts await me as I learn from the past and consciously choose to not throw the rock?