Beware of passing clouds!

The grass is always greener on the other side of the road. Or is it? I have been around for quite some time to conclude that this isn’t always true.

I have observed masses who turned out to vote en masse, dethroning an incumbent despite their evident track record; for they supposed a newbie would lead them to the ‘Promised Land’. But lo, they proceed to suffer and wish they could reverse their preposterous choices evidencing marked arrogance.

I have witnessed a lover who walked out of a friend’s life on a flimsy premise, that the spark was no longer sparkling, this is despite the promising potential in their mate. Later on, unprompted, they came back to admit to their ‘foolishness’, praised the person who was once considered more devilish than the devil himself, seeking for a second chance but to no avail.

To say that human behavior is unpredictable is but a gross understatement. Our decisions are mostly influenced by the worldviews we harbour, the prospects we clamor and the pains we suffer. As a result, we at times lack an important quality economists call rationality. Our irrationality as a species is clearly evident when we trade off future rewards over short term gains. After all, we are aesthetically driven.

We prefer the visible and tangible over the promised and prophesied. And yes, we even have a saying to justify our misdoings: “A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush.” Such a mentality is not only retrogressive but is responsible for the stagnation of economies.
It is the reason why imbecilic despots have ascended to power just because a ‘patriotic’ citizen received a small token that impaired their judgement on election day.

As I reflect on this, I remember an adage by the sages of the East African Coast, “Usiache mbachao kwa msala upitao“, which is loosely translated to mean, “Don’t leave a constant for a passing cloud.” Truth is, ‘passing clouds’ are enticing but distracting. They have a populist voice that’s convincing but misleading. In a split second, the constant’s allure fades in insignificance and life-altering decisions are made, sadly sometimes without an opportunity for recourse in future.

So here’s my challenge to us all today: Conduct a self-audit of your daily, momentous and grand decisions. Are they tainted with droves of irrationality due to the undue influence of ‘passing clouds’? ‘Passing clouds’ could be anything: misleading friends for the young people, an irresistible damsel for a married man, a beguiling and conniving politician for a responsible citizen, you name it. Genuinely weep at your shortcomings. Next, make an effort to re-establish your relationships with parents, lover or family, if this had already been broken. If you are fortunate enough, they’ll accept you back without question. But even if they don’t on account that your betrayal was uncalled for and unbearable, worry not. View it as a second chance in life to redeem yourself in all your future engagements.

Probably, Rollo Tomassi punctuates it best: “Good decisions come from experience, and experience often comes from bad decisions.” Cheers, good people to a week and lifetime full of self-introspection and rational decisions.