I sustained an injury in the process of chasing after the tiny little rat which later escaped, compelling me to let go. But my letting go was temporary, remember? Following that short timeout was a calculated strike-back which rewarded me with a triumphant smile. But the smile lasted only a few days. How I wish that win was permanent!

A few days after I had eliminated the first rat and regained my peace, I discovered that there were more. Unbelievable! More rats? I yelled, as I paced up and down the house. It wasn’t funny. I hated rats! I still do. I have no idea why. But thanks to the provision for exigency I had made beforehand, one of the rats was caught in a short time using another of the three rat-catchers I had bought. I then had just one more to deal with. And that last one, I would tag the smartest, for it was invincible [for more than a week].

Every morning, I would look at the last rat-catcher and find it void of the last rat with the spiced meat on it, intact. I knew for sure that there was a rat left in the house but it wouldn’t just fall into my trap. But as I woke up one morning to reach for an apple from the fridge, I unknowingly dipped my leg into the rat-catcher. Baffled, I quickly pulled my leg and rushed into the bathroom to scrub the glue off my foot. When I was done, I placed the rat-catcher back to the same spot; still around the refrigerator from whence I always reached for chilled stuff. I remained positive it would catch the rat. And yes, it did.

But here’s the most striking thing in the whole RAT story. The noon before the rat was caught I dipped my leg into my trap again while trying to get a bottle of soda from the same fridge. And that was when it dawned on me that every deed in life is but a seed which needs no one to water before germinating, growing and subsequently bearing fruit(s). I realized that we all too often forget that it’s very natural to eat from the fruits of the many seeds we sow. And yes, nature brings back to us that which we do to, or wish for others [whether good or bad]. Just imagine me falling into my own trap.

My friend, what a great idea it is, to think well before doing anything. Pondering over everything is surely a wise thing to do. Weighing the [extreme] possible outcome— pros and cons— of every strategy is vital. Now picture this, what if the trap to eliminate the last rat was deadly to man too? Maybe I’d be long gone by now. You can imagine, right? Many of us claim to be careful but lo, no one can influence karma. What would you then look like if you fall victim to your own action or inaction? 

You don’t throw a stone into the market and expect to not have someone dear to you out there to receive it. Look before you leap. Think before you act, but act all the same.