This past Thursday, September 12, the Jesuit community gathered for a weekly prayer service. Principal Tom Garrison spoke about the difference between a difficult decision and a hard decision and how those two terms pertain to Jesuit life.
What’s the Difference?
While they seem similar, they are different things. A difficult decision is one that has layers of complexity to it. These often involve conflicting values and desires. One of the best examples is choosing between two job offers. One job requires you to relocate to a new state but offers significantly higher pay than the second. The second job pays less but is local to where you currently live. While taking the first job offers you better financial stability, it forces you to leave an environment you are familiar with and relocate out of your social circle. This puts your desire for financial stability and a desire to remain close to your comfort zone at odds. This decision requires much discernment and thought before being made.
A hard decision, in contrast to a difficult one, revolves around the emotional weight of the choice. Mr. Garrison emphasized in particular its connection to being Loving, this year’s theme.
For most of us, a hard decision usually means we know that the decision is the right one, but we also know making it will cost us some friendships. For example, if we see one of our friends making a joke about someone’s culture, we might be tempted to pass it off as just a joke. We know that we should tell the person that the joke is wrong, but we’re afraid of doing it because we’re afraid it might distance our friendship with that person.
A hard decision is hard because we know what the right thing is to do, but we also know what the emotional repercussions of making it will be. A student, who asked that they remain anonymous, said to me the next day:
“the morning of the prayer service we’d been picking on a kid because he wasn’t the fastest person on the team, but after we all heard mr. garrison’s speech, it all stopped, instead turning into encouragement.”
My Personal Reflection
The message of this particular prayer service really resonated with me. It caused me to reflect on moments where I was presented with the option to make the hard decision. I have found that many times I worry about my own popularity or status or how people think of me, affecting whether or not I choose to make the “hard decision.” It’s not just with your close friends; it’s also when I walk past a piece of trash in the hallway and choose not to pick it up, for fear of being considered a “goody two-shoes.” For me, it’s the fear of judgement that keeps me from doing what I know is right.
Another thing that this prayer service made me think about is the idea of a “pack mentality.” It sometimes just seems easier to go with a decision because it’s “popular.” Even though something seems like a bad idea, I sometimes just roll with it because everyone’s doing it, instead of thinking for myself. It seems that we as high schoolers tend to lean toward doing what others are doing, instead of taking a step back to really think whether or not what we’re going to do is a good idea. For me, this is something I’m still trying to work on.
Lastly, it’s made me think about my life as a Catholic. It’s made me think about how I share and live out my faith, particularly outside of school. Within the confines of Jesuit, it’s easy to talk and live out my faith, as I am surrounded by people who are like me. But once I leave campus, living up to the calling to share my faith becomes more difficult. I often fear about being seen as a nutcase for standing for my morals. Being comfortable sharing my faith even when I am uncomfortable is something I try to work on in my daily life not only in words, but in the way I act.
Conclusion
The message of the prayer service certainly hit home this time around. It’s definitely caused me to evaluate my daily life and had prompted me to see those moments where I have the opportunity to make the hard choice.
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