Stupidity Always Costs, No Matter the Country

I realized something today.  Stupidity costs.  I know - It’s basic, but I am a basic guy so stick with me here.  
 

I understand that all costs in life aren’t directly correlated with stupidity like when I purchase a sandwich it costs money, but it isn’t a stupid decision.  When my car tires wear down and I need to purchase new ones, they cost money and that isn’t a result of my stupidity.  There are costs that are associated with living, and then there are costs that are associated with stupidity.  And stupidity always costs something.  The cost might vary depending on the offense, and the costs aren’t always produced in monetary amounts.  But stupidity always costs nonetheless.  

Where is this recent pondering over stupidity coming from, you might be wondering?  Or you might be shaking your head in agreement as you read these words, knowing that I have much experience with this topic.  If advanced degrees in stupidity could’ve been earned, then I would have earned at least one – a long time ago.

My most recent awareness into the costliness of stupidity came when my engine blew.  Yup, you read that right.   My engine blew.  And it wasn’t because it was overused or time for a replacement.  It was a direct result of my stupidity.  And it is going to cost quite a bit.  I have owned a lot of clunkers in my day, going back to my 1989 Plymouth Voyager Van that was reconstructed with a varying color of patchwork panels from multiple reckless teenage accidents.  Even that car’s engine never blew.  But the engine of the car that we purchased 4 months ago while living in Ecuador did.  

I will spare you the many events that led to the final stupid conclusion of my engine blowing, but there were many.  Stupidity doesn’t just happen, appearing out of thin air, ex nihilo.  There are internal and external factors that cause stupidity to bubble to the surface.  There were many of these factors at work in my situation, causing me to walk down the path towards stupidity.  But, these factors no matter how much they blurred my vision or made it difficult to see around or through didn’t force me into stupidity.  I had to take the plunge.  I had to cross the line on my own two feet.

Have you ever been there?  Have you ever found yourself influenced by an internal or external factor leading you towards stupidity and then finding it difficult to step back and evaluate the situation with a clear, stupid free, mind?  And then in the end you commit the stupid action that these factors were guiding you towards.  Can you relate?  

Back in Philadelphia my trusty mechanic saved me from many costly stupid mistakes, but he refused to fly to Ecuador with us, no matter how much I begged, in order to prevent expensive car damage from occurring.  My trusty mechanic left me alone in a foreign land unable to speak the language, which was one of the factors that led to my stupidity.   But even without him, there were many chances along the way to escape the costly stupidity of my engine blowing.  I continued moving forward, and I crossed the line.  

It could have been worse, one might say.  Or another might add, at least you learned something through this process.  I listen and nod to those well-meaning remarks, but I don’t think either of them is where I want to rest my hat.  

What do I do in the wake of my stupidity?  There is not a simple answer to that one.  An answer that will allow me to sit back, exhale, and feel good about the stupidity that I just committed.  Although I don't have the answer, there have been a couple of thoughts bouncing around in my head since seeing that smoke rise from the car's engine and its wheels coming to a halt.  One thought is that I need to examine the factors that led me into stupidity, and hopefully be on guard against those in the future.  Another thought that has come to mind in the aftermath of my stupidity is that I need to acknowledge that the burden of responsibility is upon myself, no matter how influential those factors were.  Finger pointing will only cause stupidity to grow.  A third thing that has come to mind is that I need to remind myself that there is hope, especially after a stupid action takes place.  Wallowing in self pity will not help.  Hope is essential if the fight against stupidity is to progress.  As wisdom continues to grow in this life, stupidity will diminish.  But although hope exists, the reality is that no matter how much stupidity decreases in this life, it will never evaporate.

Unlike the water that caused my engine to blow.