Today I had to exchange an item at the health food store.
I need to return and exchange items from time to time. It seems that it's a challenge for me to make choices when I'm shopping at a store. There are so many varieties of the item I'm looking for. There are different sizes and dosage strengths. Does it meet our dietary needs? Sometimes I am so happy that I have met one requirement that I overlook another one. I need to be constantly aware and vigilant.
In fact, I saw a nutritional supplement advertised on television that looked like it was just what we needed for a particular health issue Sweetheart and I have. We used the whole bottle, but it had no effect. We got a similar product, but, when I read the fine print on the label, I discovered cautions that we didn't want to take.
There are lots of commercials on television advertising drugs that claim to address certain health issues. They sound wonderful. The side effects are also listed, but they dwarf in comparison with the benefits--almost to the point of non existence. Let the buyer beware. All that glitters is not gold. That goes for everything you see so glowingly advertised.
That goes for social trends, too. When I was in high school, the trend was mostly in fashion--high collars, long hair, sideburns, mini skirts, white buck shoes. Now, some teenagers and children are making life-altering changes in their bodies. They are making a permanent decision about a temporary condition that could be handled in a gentler way. The saying goes, "Marry in haste, repent at leisure." The same could be said of any life-changing decision.
Other young people are protesting a situation they don't fully understand. As with selecting a health product, or any product it is important to get all of the background information before making a choice. There are many choices to make in life. We might ask ourselves if they fit into the family values we grew up with; if they are life affirming; if they cause physical, mental or emotional harm to myself or others; if they align with Biblical principles.
Most of all, decisions must be freely made--not coerced by peer pressure, government control, advertising or media influence. A person should not fear physical or mental repercussions for having an opinion that strays from the prevailing one. The prevailing opinion may not be the best one.
We all need to be constantly aware and vigilant.
Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or send a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com