"Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices"

~ Alfred A. Montapert

In this age of increasingly sophisticated video games, the distinction between reality and fantasy is becoming less and less distinct.  It is possible—and perhaps enticingly entertaining—to project ourselves into situations that we would most likely never encounter in an entire lifetime,  We can immerse ourselves in a virtual reality of our choosing and, significantly, behave as if our actions have no consequences.  We can be reckless, aggressive, or even psychopathic or criminal—all without the slightest worry of any real-life repercussions.  Then, merely by pressing the "New Game" button, our alter-ego driven persona is granted immediate absolution for even the most egregious behavior if it were to have occurred in the real world.

But in real life, the situation is dramatically different.  Whatever we do, we must necessarily deal with the consequences of our actions.  Rippling rapidly like the impact of a pebble in a placid pool, our actions set into motion an inevitable series of far-reaching reactions.  And not only do we ourselves have to live with the consequences of our actions, but our actions frequently extend beyond our own personal spheres and impact others as well.  

I'm reminded of the "butterfly effect" posed by Edward Lorenz in the late 1800's:

The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere  that may ultimately alter the path of a tornado or delay, accelerate or even prevent the occurrence of a tornado in a certain location. The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale alterations of events. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.   (Wikipedia)

While extreme in its magnitude, the

Similarly, the toppling of that first domino can set off an awesome chain reaction of inertia, extending and spreading to all that it touches.

Whatever symbolism we choose, it seems reasonable to believe that any action triggers an irrevocable series of subsequent events that either would permit or preclude a potentially different result.  

On a more personal level, we need to remain cognizant that each choice or decision we make influences and irrevocably alters our options from that point in time forward.  As stated in a prior article on this site: 

From the moment of our birth, our lives are perpetually defined and our direction refined by a continuing series of choices.  Each choice serves both to eliminate some possibilities, while opening up yet another whole series of possibilities -- each with their own additional choices, ad infinitum. (from

So, it becomes evident that we need to honor our most important goals and priorities and—when faced with an important choice or decision—choose the option that is consistent with these pursuits.

©2001-2008 Don McBroom - Personal Astrological Consultations - Tucson, AZ (520) 298-3456

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