Jaywalking

Coming back from the dentist across the line I crossed the street against the light. I jaywalked--when in Rome. . . .hey, in Mexico everybody jaywalks. I was exceptional because I jaywalked in the crosswalk, but I digress.
Crossing the street I thought of a conversation I had recently on consequences and rules. One of my kids told me about watching a man as he tried to cross a street in traffic. He was hit by a bus and thrown 20 or 30 yards toward where my son was standing. And he was dead.
He talked about how helpless he felt standing, unable to do anything to prevent the inevitable accident, a feeling almost of fear. Then I remembered and recounted an incident from years ago, when I lived in London. A woman was hit by a taxi outside our house. She lay on the sidewalk in front of the house with her skull fractured, thick dark blood oozing out of her head. We brought out a blanket, called the ambulance, felt uneasy, helpless. Not something you forget easily.

There are times when we think that those who break the rules should suffer the consequences, they should be brought up short, they should learn that they cannot break rules without consequences.
But--then when we see the stark reality of the consequences we have to back off. Do we really want to suffer the consequences of our foolish, thoughtless decisions?
Justice has its place, but I vote for mercy. Without mercy we are all stepping out in front of the bus.
And so in this life, I hope we learn, I hope we follow, and I hope that we do not always suffer the consequences of our actions.

Thank you for mercy, and second chances, and third. . . . Maybe we'll have time to learn and change.