Last year was a time of avoidable and unavoidable tragedies


By Rev. Martin Dunne | Contributing Columnist

I vividly remember when St. Elizabeth School in Pompano Beach held its own presidential “election” in 1992. The 400 students were each given a straw and had to choose which box to put it in: George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton or Ross Perot.  

By Rev. Martin Dunne

It sounded nice, but it was flawed from the beginning. This was because the only three boxes available at the school for the vote were three very different sizes. I doubt the faculty had bias in labeling the boxes, but even as an extremely naïve kid I instantly recognized that the reason George Bush won our school election was because his was the biggest box.

I’m offering this not so much as a commentary of the 2020 election, but as a commentary of the entire year [2021 hasn’t been so hot yet either]. My childhood pastor lamented long ago that what’s lacking most in the world is “common sense.” I believe he’s right more than ever. 

Last year had many unavoidable tragedies – but it also had many avoidable ones [which makes them even more tragic]. Yes there are so many things, honestly everything outside of us, which are beyond our control. Literally the only thing truly within our control is how we internally decide to respond to the things beyond our control. I feel the major “miss” many had during the last tragic year is that people seemed to rarely “stop and think.” In other words, I feel people failed to discern how to best proceed.

Discernment can be an involved process [there are thousands of books on the topic], but we can still effectively and quickly discern in most instances. The more you develop the habits of the discerning, the easier it will become, and the more important it will become.

I can narrow discernment into three simple steps. 

The first: Fact gathering. I feel this was the most neglected step of 2020. Make every effort in the limited time you have to gather as much information regarding your choices as possible. 

Not opinions.

Facts.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Option A. Benefits and Drawbacks of Option B.   “Test everything” [1 Thes 5:21]. Every time I see a news story I question “is this really accurate, or is it spin?” I fear people have been discouraged from asking the questions. It is our right to know as much truth as we reasonably can so that we will be able to rest upon our decision – because that decision will lead us to the next.  

Second: We have to use our gift of imagination. With all the facts accumulated, imagine the likely “domino effect” of Option A and Option B. Take it as far as you can. You know your reality better than any other person.

Finally, and most importantly: Listen to your heart. In prayer if possible . . . to simply notice how you are feeling as you consider your options. If something feels uneasy within you, then that’s a great sign that that is the wrong decision. If you feel a calming peace [even if it is the option that will result in more exertion, risk, resistance and rejection], that is likely the right decision. 

We can’t change the past, but we can ensure the future goes as well as possible in our lives.  

Yet I truly believe more than ever that the whole world could radically change for the better when everyone uses their gift of “common sense” and speaks up to encourage others to do the same.  

We don’t need the biggest box. We simply need the biggest synchronization of mind and heart.

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