A nail, rusted and bent, sticking out of an old piece of wood.
This would be a good metaphor for how I feel many days.
But you know, that old rusty nail served a purpose, and
Still does, though it may not be apparent at first. In the
Past, the nail was straight and strong, holding firmly
To its goal, then in time it became bent; crooked
With misuse. Time and corrosive elements took
Their toll. Then, by some miracle, the nail was
Straightened out enough to become useful
Once more. Now, it humbly serves to hold
That gate in the fence open for others
Who may have lost their way. So you
See, all is not as it appears, there is
A history beneath what you see.
We all have a history; it need
Not determine your destiny
For the rest of your life. We
Live, we make mistakes,
We get bent out of
Shape, but the
Carpenter of
Life can find
A use for
Us all.



“The Nail”
by
Jerry E Smith
©12/26/16

Commentary

Our lives are filled with choices, and with each choice, comes consequences.
It is (or should be) a
SOBERING thought.
Should we, with knowledge and forethought, choose a pathway that possibly could
(read almost SURELY would ) lead to our demise, our downfall and/or our
Physical degradation, are we then not the pure definition of FOOL for having
Chosen that Pathway?


If the only positive outcome to a chosen action, is a few fleeting moments of
PERCEIVED pleasure, then I submit that our perceptions are flawed.


Try to make the best choices early on, when the consequences won't be
So dire and more easily overcome.

^{“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”}
Omar Khayyám

And having learned these lessons, we can and should,
Hold the Gate Open for others.
The post was inspired (at this time) by a conversation with @lukakorba