Making Good Choices

Making a good choice doesn’t sound too difficult, and sometimes it is pretty easy.  For example, making the choice not to put your hand on a hot stove is an excellent choice, otherwise you could be seriously injured.  That would be an easy choice; it’s a good choice, but an easy one.  I’m sure it would be easy to think of easy choices!  But how about a choice that is not so easy?  Sometimes making a good choice, or a right choice, calls for you to do something hard, or maybe something you don’t want to do.

What is an example of a good or right choice that requires you to do something you don’t want to do?  Think for a minute!

What if you have a friend that tells you a secret and askes you to promise not to tell anyone.   You agree to keep your friend’s secret.  Then once you learn what the secret is you are sorry you agreed to keep the secret.  You know that the secret could be dangerous, illegal, or cause someone else a lot of pain and hurt.  What do you do?  You don’t want to break a confidence or promise to your friend.  Making the choice to keep the secret causes you to be part of the danger, illegality or painful circumstance.  But you then think breaking the confidence or not keeping the promise regarding the secret could cost my friendship, or even get my friend in trouble.

When the secret can cause a dangerous outcome, something “illegal” or cause someone pain and hurt in some way, the choice should be choosing to do the right thing.  In this instance tell your friend you cannot keep the secret and why you cannot keep it.  And then, depending on the seriousness of the situation, tell someone you trust in their choices what the situation is and seek out the best outcome for everyone.

You haven’t betrayed your friend, because you made it known you could no longer keep the secret and why.  You have gone to a trusted source for help and advice. Possibly you have saved your friend from trouble and some unintended consequences. Your friend will most likely appreciate the choice you have made.