QUO VADIS?  

(Quo vadis? is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?" The modern usage of the phrase refers to a Christian tradition regarding Saint Peter. Wikipedia) 

You might have heard the expression: “The wise learns from someone else’s mistakes, the smart  learns from his/her own, and the stupid never learns even from his/her own mistakes.”  When we look around, we will see that many belong to the third category. There is a reason which prompted me to quote this - two deaths of cancer patients and three accidents that has taken the life of a nineteen year boy and injured four people within a week in a small town I live (How much more the occurrences in the big cities must be!).  The first two I referred were suffering of oral cancer; the cause of cancer being tobacco use. Many have advised them of the dangers of tobacco; but have fallen on deaf ears. They were so addicted to tobacco that they ignored it.  The accident that took away the life of the youngster was due to rash driving. The high power bikes are a temptation of the youths who love high speed. The other two accidents were due to drunken driving which has taken a few to the hospitals. The drunken drivers hit three or more vehicles in a row before they were stopped by the public.  By that time damage to persons and vehicles have happened.

We see and hear about the dangers of tobacco use.  We see the victims of cancer due to this. We see and hear about the consequences of drunken and rash driving; the Government machinery is trying to conscientize about the dangers of tobacco, liquor, addictive stuff, drunken as well as rash driving etc.  We may know so many people who have fallen prey to the above and other addictions that destroy their body. We may know their families and the innocent people becoming victims who go through hellish experiences because of these addictions. But how many learns from others’ mistakes? How many learn even after they go through the bitter experiences? 

Each one must ask the questions: Where am I going to? How do I spend my earnings and energy – do I spend it judiciously? Do I destroy myself for the sake of momentary thrill and pleasure? Do I take away the joy of the family because of my habits?