On the importance of making choices
East west, yes no, either or. These are the choices we make every single day. Door number one or door number two, you can only choose one and once you begin the other door closes forever. The reward or consequences of that choice will manifest sooner or later whether you like it or not. That is life. In economics it's called opportunity cost.
Ancient Rome had a god for this, as Rome had a god for everything at one time. Rome called this god Ianvs. Today we call him Janus.
Because Janus ruled beginnings and choices, he ruled over Rome's doorways and gates. The important symbolism of passing through a doorway becomes significant when you consider the god who watched over and protected it. Notice how one face smiles and the other frowns? One side represents optimism and the other pessimism. Our choices are often based on our own attitude.
A very important aspect of Janus is how if you look at one face, you can't look at the other. This is where that lecture on opportunity cost you ignored in your Econ class becomes important. Once you make a choice and begin your journey out the door, the other choice isn't possible. You sacrifice the benefits or losses of one choice for the other.
Janus reminds me of the phrase being "two-faced", which means displaying one face to one group, while exposing another face to a different group. This works only until the groups cross paths, and your deception is discovered. Then the one who discovers your deception gets to make a choice and walk through another door. The choices you make will always influence the choices of others.
Another lesson we can learn from Janus is that choices are neither wrong nor right, they are the choices we make. Guilt and blame prohibt learning from our mistakes. Accept the consequenses of your choice and move on. Beating yourself up over walking through the doorway of your own choosing will lead you to making the same choice again and having the same consequences. Learn, and move on.
As the old knight warned Indiana Jones, "choose wisely." Beginnings always have an end, and the end leads to another beginning.
Ancient Rome had a god for this, as Rome had a god for everything at one time. Rome called this god Ianvs. Today we call him Janus.
Because Janus ruled beginnings and choices, he ruled over Rome's doorways and gates. The important symbolism of passing through a doorway becomes significant when you consider the god who watched over and protected it. Notice how one face smiles and the other frowns? One side represents optimism and the other pessimism. Our choices are often based on our own attitude.
A very important aspect of Janus is how if you look at one face, you can't look at the other. This is where that lecture on opportunity cost you ignored in your Econ class becomes important. Once you make a choice and begin your journey out the door, the other choice isn't possible. You sacrifice the benefits or losses of one choice for the other.
Janus reminds me of the phrase being "two-faced", which means displaying one face to one group, while exposing another face to a different group. This works only until the groups cross paths, and your deception is discovered. Then the one who discovers your deception gets to make a choice and walk through another door. The choices you make will always influence the choices of others.
Another lesson we can learn from Janus is that choices are neither wrong nor right, they are the choices we make. Guilt and blame prohibt learning from our mistakes. Accept the consequenses of your choice and move on. Beating yourself up over walking through the doorway of your own choosing will lead you to making the same choice again and having the same consequences. Learn, and move on.
As the old knight warned Indiana Jones, "choose wisely." Beginnings always have an end, and the end leads to another beginning.