Running with Scissors

At some point in our lives we hear the advice to not run with scissors. Typically, we first heard this statement in our kindergarten classroom when our teacher was attempting to keep injuries minimal during arts and crafts time. No matter how many times it was repeated to not run with scissors, the majority of the time, someone chose to do the opposite. Oddly enough, mthis advice can relate directly to our lives later, even if we are no longer seated at a very low to the ground desk with construction paper, glue sticks, and markers in front of us. Running with scissors is something we inherently know we should not do. It is something that could potentially not only hurt ourselves but others as well.

Sometimes we find ourselves doing things that have the potential to go wrong in our lives but we choose to do anyway. Maybe it’s the conscious decision to hit snooze rather than getting up when your alarm clock goes off. We risk waking up entirely too late, and as a result, risk being late for school or work. Or maybe this risk takes shape in not preparing for our next test as well as we should be. These are instances in our lives where we might find ourselves “running with scissors”. Risking something greater by doing what gives us instant gratification. But what is causing us to do these risky things we know could potentially go very wrong? These conscious moments of “running with scissors” are influenced by several different variables, such as our values, how we manage our time, and what energy we allow into our lives, positive and negative.

When we stop to think about these sources of influence in our lives, our values, what energy we allow in, the people we surround ourselves with, it becomes apparent that they influence the majority of the decisions we make. We make hundreds of decisions everyday, what to wear, what to eat, how to answer that question, when to go to bed. Every decision we make benefits us in either a positive or negative way. Knowing we decide what we allow into our lives to influence the decisions we make, I have a proposition. Let’s use those scissors for the better. Rather than “running with scissors”, let’s utilize this tool to cut out the negative energy and unhealthy habits out of our lives. I challenge you today, to reflect on the negative things you allow in your life, the areas where you choose to “run with scissors”, and to instead, cut those things out.

Happy New Year All!

Hattie Polson, State Reporter