There is nothing – not even inaction – without unending consequences. The only difference between a wise person and a fool is that the wise person considers consequences before acting. Always question the motives of those who surround themselves with fools. Those human things we all desire accrue most readily to those who first give them freely: respect, trust, loyalty, strength, mercy, compassion, love, courage, warmth, kindness, acceptance,... One of the manifestations of human brokenness is doing the same thing repeatedly, each time expecting a result different from the times before. Fear is the non-intellectual alert to possible proximate danger. The appropriate response is to identify its trigger and determine whether the danger is real – and if it is, to react rationally to mitigate the hazard. Courage is not the absence of fear – it is choosing “right” over “expedient”. Words cannot be unsaid nor acts undone – the ripples of consequence cannot be called back. Therefore do not speak what you do not wish heard, nor do that which will bring you shame. Sooner or later, all dishonest words and acts are recognized as such. As we sow, so do we harvest. Be exceedingly wary of those who plant the seeds of bitterness. A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step - but all unfinished journeys begin or continue from here and now. The subset of "visible" solutions is always bounded by the analytical tools employed. There is no such thing as "thinking outside the box" - there is only "thinking inside a larger box". All cultures value justice, fairness, and the "Golden Rule". Societies who stray from these principles ultimately rot from within and die unmourned. Keep on learning.