On the Other Hand... (Contradictions)

There are a lot of well-known, popular sayings. The reason so many of them are popular is because there is a lot of truth to them. However, have you ever noticed that many sayings have an opposite saying that has just as much truth to it? I just wanted to share a couple of the ones that came to mind.

Let's say you have an idea of something you would like to do, such as marriage, a financial move, or a job change. What advice do you often hear? Many people will say, "Look before you leap." In other words, be cautious; take some time to think about what you are doing before taking such a big step.

On the other hand...

In this same situation, the advice many would give is, "He who hesitates is lost." In other words, if you stop to think about what is ahead, you may end up with nothing.

Which is the better advice? I believe they both have merit. The key, I think, is balance. We should not run around willy-nilly, acting without thinking, but we would be pretty miserable if we never did anything because we were too scared to act. Individual choices would also depend on the circumstances. If you are trying to decide whether to marry a certain person, it is definitely a good idea to look before you leap. That is too important a decision to make without thinking it through. However, if you are in a runaway car, headed for a cliff, the second saying would be more appropriate. Hesitate to make the right decision, and you could end up dead.

When someone we love has to go away for awhile, our friends often tell us, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." This can be very reassuring, and it is very often the case.

On the other hand...

Just as often, you hear, "Out of sight, out of mind."

Which of these sayings is true? Again, it really just depends on the person. If the people who are away from each other truly love each other, they will spend more and more time thinking about the one they love. If there are any doubts, things could begin to change and it could be easier to put the other person "out of mind."