On April 14 1865 two men made a decision to walk into a bar. One wanted to just have a drink because he was bored and the other needed a drink because he wanted to calm his nerves.

The bored man just wanted an escape. He just wanted a break from his thankless job. The other man new he had a job to do but wanted to kill time. He was working with others and they had planned on a certain time to fulfill their obligations. While the bored man continued to drink and talk with patrons the other man paid his tab and left.

By now if you know your history you know the next scene. The Place is the Star Tavern. The bored man is John F. Parker, President Abraham Lincoln’s body-guard. The Other man is John Wilkes Booth Lincoln’s assassin.

I tell this story to show that every decision no matter how small it seems at the time has the ability to affect the rest of your life, and many more people than just you.  If you chose not to see your prospective clients or do the work you were assigned then you may chose not to get a paycheck that week. If you chose to work 90 hours per week over spending time with your family, you could lose your family. You need to know your limit and balance your decisions. I am not telling you to be overly cautious. What I want is for you to make good decisions often.

Parker never wanted President Lincoln dead.  He was just bored and wanted to kill some time.  His little decision changed the course of history and the way the south and African-Americans were treated for the next hundred plus years.

What one little decision have you made that made a big difference in your or someone else’s life?