Cautious Vs Recklessness (Carelessness) 😬

One day, in school, Rohit was in a hurry to get to recess.

Instead of walking carefully down the stairs, he ran as fast as he could, pushing past his classmates. Halfway down, he slipped and fell, injuring his leg.

The school nurse bandaged him up, and the teacher told the class,

“Rushing and being reckless may save a few seconds, but it can cause injuries that last much longer. It’s always better to be cautious.”

Rohit realized that if he had been careful, he wouldn’t have hurt himself or scared his friends.

From that day, he decided to slow down and think before acting.

At home, Arya loved riding her bicycle.

One day, she went speeding down the street without wearing a helmet or looking around. She nearly collided with a car that came around the corner.

Her parents, alarmed, sat her down and explained, “Riding fast may feel fun, but if you don’t follow safety rules, you could get seriously hurt. Being reckless on the road is dangerous.”

Arya understood the risk she had taken and promised to always wear her helmet and be careful on the road.

In the Panchatantra, there’s a story of a reckless frog who wanted to jump the farthest in a race. Without paying attention to the surroundings, it leaped into a thorny bush and got hurt.

The frog learned that rushing and not thinking about the risks can lead to harm and that being cautious is the wiser choice.

“He who acts with reckless haste will repent his folly later.”
— Thirukural 495