The date for General Elections is now set and drawing ever closer my friends. However, it seems that a lot of people are still sitting on the fence, not knowing when and where to get off. The uncertainty of not knowing who to trust or who to choose seems to be creating a lot of anxiety.
You may be wondering what is meant by fence-sitters? Fence-sitters are people who are indecisive and cannot come to a decision. They are tossed to and fro depending which way the wind blows. They are attempting to please everyone and so will compromise themselves so as not to upset people. One never really knows where fence sitters stand as they have no idea which way they will turn. Fence-sitters usually make up the largest group.
So, if perchance you are one of those persons that are still sitting on the fence, unable to make a decision, or paralyzed and afraid, it is time to jump down and move forward. You will find it much better if you choose one side of the fence or the other, rather than take a tumble and see where you land. You see, as long as you are sitting on that fence nothing good can happen.
Would it not be awesome if all eligible voters just get off the fence and participate in the election process? Can you imagine for a while how powerful that would be? As a society, we tend to be fence-sitters when it comes to serious issues of national interest. We vacillate, we avoid commitment, we procrastinate, and we put off important decisions. This tendency to fence sit seems to stem from fear to commit and fear of making the wrong decision. Fence-sitters usually dream of and hope for a particular type of life, but fear will never come to reality. Hence, their ambivalence, as either side of the fence looks uncertain and scary. Yet, commitment is the key to success in every aspect of our lives – and more so in the success of the affairs of our country.
If you have been sitting on the fence trying to decide whether to vote , or which party to align yourself with or which candidate to choose, the time is quickly approaching for you to make a decision. The Bible points out clearly to us that we cannot serve two masters. We have to choose and that also goes for this election process. It is not a coincidence that we have election during this most important season. Everything happens for a reason, my friends. This Lenten season should be a clear reminder for us of the importance of choice and the ramifications of choices. Pilate was called upon to make a very important choice. A very serious choice at that! He had to make a choice of what to do with Jesus the Christ. He tried to dodge it. You know the story all too well.
He placed the decision in the hands of the people. He allowed the people to make that choice for him. At least so he thought when he washed his hands. You see that was his mistake because not making a choice is still a choice. There is no way to get around it. You know the outcome of that story. My friends, you cannot afford to sit on the fence any longer – you must choose whose side you are on now. You have to decide which candidate you will support. You have to decide who you want to be the next Chief Minister. You have to decide on who you want as your district representative. You have to get involved in the affairs of your country and vote to make the difference. The choice is yours to make. No one must decide that for you. You have to do it for yourself. The stakes are too high to be left to chance. It can have dire consequences.
Indecisiveness can be crippling. To overcome this, you have to listen and analyze the issues for yourself. You have to look at the character of the candidates, their past records, and the success of their personal lives, then trust your gut instinct and make a choice. You see, a person can review, analyze and get opinions from others all day long, but the end result is the same. You need to listen to your Inner Wisdom and decide. Making decisions is not something new. We make decisions every day. Everything we say and do is the result of a decision, whether we make it consciously or not. The best thing anyone can do is to approach the decision-making process from as many perspectives as possible, and then choose a course of action that seems reasonable and balanced.
The lesson is to seek out the truth when you are in a place of indecision. Be well informed of the situation and find out the truth before taking any action. It is quite necessary to be mindful of the fact that actions based on hearsay, wrong information, insinuation, suspicion, half-truths and outright falsehood are always counter-productive. So it is inevitable to always look before you leap by being armed with facts and figures. Most people react to issues about which they know little or nothing and they pay dearly for it in return.
The point here is that you must not be afraid to take decisions, and be bold enough to speak and stand out on any issue you know is right because those who cannot stand for something normally fall for anything. Always bear in mind that no matter what anyone may say or do, the truth always prevails. Therefore, always decide for the truth and stand by it – and also be mindful of the fact that you must not sit on the fence as that is not responsible behaviour.
When making tough decisions, as serious as a general election, it is wise to seek God’s wisdom and guidance having been informed of the issues. It is always wise to stay as calm as possible and remain rational. Riding high on emotions, either positive or negative, can impact your ability to make a rational decision. Take your time and weigh risk vs. gain. If the risk associated with a particular option is great and the outcomes are only minor positives, then that option should probably be avoided in favour of a better one. Your decision should not only be about you and what you stand to gain. Your decision-making process should take others and your country as a whole into account throughout. Having done that, you need to make a choice. No matter which decision you make, be prepared to accept responsibility for every outcome. If things don’t work out, it is always better to have made a conscious decision than to have been careless. At least you can say that you did your part and you did what you thought was best.
One of the problems about making decisions is that you will not know until later how good the decision will turn out – for it is history that judges the success or failure of decisions. Uncertainty can paralyze you. Not knowing what will happen after a choice is made is scary and can be frightening. No matter how much information a person may have, making any choice – any decision can be difficult. But what you will come to realize is, that sitting on the fence is no fun either. You get stuck in limbo land. You go through life thinking that you are going to make that decision one day and that one day never comes. Things will not get any simpler but they do get more complex and more uncertain. It becomes a vicious cycle where you end up delaying a choice forever and life passes you by.
Remember: It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions (Jim Rohn).
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com.
