For much of my life a whim was an idle decision, not well thought out.
I went to the grocery store and stole candy, on whim.
Whiming really started there, I guess.
I found out that an arbitrary decision to act held consequences,
Not the bad kind, but the good, which often benefited me.
Whims came from my intuition and the less thought I gave them the better.
When I was in a leadership position in the union, I found myself relying on my instantaneous decisions in chaotic circumstances, again with positive results.
I could rely on my decision making skills, even decisions made in the heat if the moment,
Even whims.
When I was learning to lead my mentor told me how to make decisions quickly:
Practice on small decisions to build habit and confidence,
Like when you and your friends are deciding what to do,
Movie? Sports? TV?
You decide quickly and build your leadership along with confidence.
But now, now they say I have impulse control problems.
Impulse buying is bad.
Impulse assignations ditto.
Impulses while driving are to be avoided.
Don’t just do everything that enters your head!
As a youth I often heard, “you weren’t thinking!”
Thinking is good. Consideration of consequences is good.
My teenaged friend had two sayings on his wall:
“Look before you leap.” And
“He who hesitates is lost.”
I wrote this poem on a whim.
I kissed you on another.
Whims are just wishes upside down,
Sort of.
– Small town boy
lloydmcanelly 