Was It Worth It?

Whenever I go swimming I get this teeth gritting, head pounding, excruciating pain in my ears that impulsively makes me want to upchuck. I Googled what could be the problem because it also happens when I am out in the cold too long and thought that it could be that the water was too cold. Turns out I was right. The blood vessels in my ears constrict and my damaged ear drums cry out for mercy. I've learned to work my way in to the pool and wear ear plugs now. That's the funny thing about pain, it makes you look for solutions to never experience it again.

Some of you may know that I was in a band at one point. I also listen to loud music. My parents always warned me to turn down the headphones because they could hear what I was listening to from the other room. I should have listened to them. I also should have worn ear plugs more often to band practice. Because I didn't I am a little hard at hearing and I experience pain in my ears when a normal human shouldn't. The irony is I still listen to my music loudly with the windows down in my car. Old habits die hard as they say.

Was it worth it? Those many times I could have just listened to my music quieter and wore those ear plugs. Was it really so much an inconvenience at the time to warrant the damage I carry with me now?

I am trying to ask myself that on the daily now when faced with many different decisions. If I compromise now to make things easier or more suited to my fancy, will I regret it later? Usually the answer is yes.

Common sense is never something one should compromise on. There are reasons for rules and regulations; they are there to keep you from harm and to allow you to live a higher quality life. As I learned the hard way, compromise may suit you in the moment, but it will handicap you in the long run. Now I need to have things loud to hear it or pester people by asking them to repeat things several times or speak up.

I can't go back and change my decisions, but I can learn from them. I must choose to let mistakes lie in the past where they happened and I must also choose to learn from them.

Was it worth it? No. Or even, will this be worth it? If no, don't do it.

Do question what you do and make the right decision, even if it takes time or is difficult. Stick to your convictions and listen to wise counsel. Do not compromise. It'll save you unnecessary pain in the long run.