Every person has free choice. Free to obey or disobey the Natural Laws. Your choice determines the consequences. Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices. — Alfred A. Montapert

One of the most important things I tried to stress to my children, especially as they approached their teens, was that they would be faced with choices every day – and the choices they made would determine their consequences, whether good or bad. It’s not about rewards and punishments even if it looks that way sometimes. It’s just about the consequences. More importantly, they would have to be responsible for the consequences of their actions – they made those choices of their own free will.

Newton’s Third Law basically states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Newton was referring to motion and gravity, of course, but it could also be applied to our actions – which are mostly based on the choices we make. The choices we make and the actions we take based on those choices naturally result in consequences. It doesn’t matter whether if we are speaking of an individual, a group, a city, state, or country. The sad thing is too many people in today’s society seem to be unwilling to take responsibility for their choices and actions.

So it is with me. My “tales of a life well-wasted” are those of the consequences of the choices I made and the actions I took based on those choices. Consider these to be cautionary tales and aside from any entertainment value they provide, let them be a learning experience.