We all are enticed to the wrong things, but may start out with the right intentions. 
Many years ago, I recall cutting flowers from our garden. They were lovely, deep colored fuchsia peonies from our garden. Oh, how fragrant and beautiful!
I cut the stems, shook out the tiny ants, and placed them in fresh water. The vase was glass and a perfect size for the large bouquet. As I cleaned up, I placed them on the dryer and went outside to discard the excess foliage away.
An older neighbor living across from us waved me over to talk. He was a retired man standing with his Beagle puppy named Buttons. Since D. was talkative and always very friendly, I was there for a good ten minutes enjoying his stories and easy going manner. I was 25 year old at the time and regarded him with great respect. His stories were always interesting.
As I closed the overhead garage door and entered into our laundry room, I saw our young fawn and white Boxer lapping up the water, petals, and glass from the floor. He was always inquisitive and must have been drawn to the sweet smell. Panic set in as blood now colored the water and floor. How much had he digested? What was cut? I checked him out to see his jowl, tongue, and paws were cut and promptly called the vet.
I did not have a car available and we lived many miles from the Veterinary Hospital we used for our animals care. The doctor told me to soak bread in milk and give it to him. No problem, he gratefully ate the new food voraciously like only a big young dog would do. To him it was a new treat. I am glad to say that all turned out well. His mouth healed rapidly and apparently he had not digested any glass.
Like Lord, (Lord of Regal Domain), we are all tempted by the wrong things. Another pet we had went to sniff a railroad tie and was bite in the eye by a swarm of wasps. That was also a case of learning for the dog and for us. As kids, it might be a toy we want to own. The opportunity to “borrow” (steal) it from a friend makes it ours. It might be the fun of “joy riding” with friends to find that a speeding ticket is being handed to us or that a tree is in our pathway.
Natural consequences often teach us things we don’t want to learn. We begin to filter our friends this way. We learn what jobs are not the best for us. We also learn that our parents, teacher, or grandparents may be smarter than we thought. We learn what is unsafe for us to do. We make decisions that teach us how to live.
Lord didn’t break anymore vases in his 12 years of life, but his life was threatened at other times. His other adventures will no doubt show up in this blog. It took us years to anticipate the dangers around and try to help him avoid them. He did leave us with many memories and life lessons. This incident taught me to be uneasy of things that looked safer, better, or nicer than they appeared.
Minor decisions made with thought may keep us safer. They may keep us from having more work to do in the future. They may keep you healthier and bring you good fortune. Thinking and planning out a path of action are worth their weight in gold. If we think before we act and process the possible outcomes before they become a reality, it may keep us safer.
Blessings on the decisions you need to make this weekend. Help your impulsive friends think things through. Teach children the risks associated with playing sports and the proper training they need. Let’s all be an advocate for making this world safer.