Take a Deep Breath Before …

Every one of us has had moments when we have an incredible urge to do something – an action that if we stop to think about, we may have cause to regret later.

Football players do it all the time. In the heat of a game, they’ll be over-exuberant and taunt an opposing player, or celebrate excessively after a touchdown, or kick a challenge flag.

Regardless of whether the rule is ridiculous or not, the fact remains that the rule IS there, so maybe they should stop and think first. I know it’s hard to suppress celebratory actions, but it has to be done.

They’ve got to restrain themselves.

We saw this last August when Roger Stephens of Stone Mountain, Georgia, slapped a little 2-year-old girl he didn’t know four times because her mother couldn’t stop her from crying.

Stephens was found guilty this week of cruelty to children in the second degree, and sentenced to six months in jail and six months home confinement. He also has to wear an ankle monitor and undergo counseling.

If he had only restrained himself and not given in to his impulse and aggravation …

Again in Georgia, jurors who found a man guilty of rape and murder celebrated by sending a chocolate penis to the judge, and chocolate breasts to the baliff, and had other contact with them.

A split U.S. Supreme Court told the federal appeals court to take another look at the case and examine the relationship between the court and jurors, and whether or not the trial was fair.

What possessed the jurors to do this, one can only wonder. But the upshot of their bizarre action puts the conviction in question and possible jeopardy. What were they thinking? Why did they give in to their impulse? Why didn’t they restrain themselves?

Remember the “Count to 10 before acting” adage? Keep that in mind when you have the urge to do something that might have consequences. Exercise some judicious restraint.

Look at me, I’m trying.