Episode 7:Decisions

There is a story that goes like this:There was this guy,18,fresh out of high school.He is not from a rich family but he is quite good in his studies,and thus he is offered a chance to study overseas,but it'll take him 6 years to finish it.

Now the thing is,he's got 2 younger siblings who are also in high school,and if he accepts the offer,and he wants to,his siblings won't have a chance to go to university,cause his family needs him to support them.The dilemma is:Should he choose to accept the offer(which is what he wants) or should he stay back and work(which is what he doesn't want but what his family hopes he chooses)?

My question is:When we make an important decision that'll definitely affect us,and the choice we prefer collides with other people's{people who are important and relevant in that situation)choice[eg.family,friends],how to we decide?How do you choose when it's not going to be a win-win situation?Either way,someone's going to lose out.

From the really small things,like when I wanted to go for steamboat,and my friends had other plans,you try to compromise,but of course you still feel disappointed in the end.And in some cases,you can't even compromise,it's either A or B.And both ways are like opposites of the other.Do you chase after what you think belongs to you,or do you sacrifice it for other's?

Especially this friend I have in Australia,I mean I really salute him for following his parents wishes,albeit not of his own free will,but he still did it.Is he 孝 or "siao"(hokkien)?Usually we tell people(or the world tells us)"follow your dreams","never let anyone tell you what you should or should not do" stuff like that,it sounds all right.But what if it's your parents wishes,who you owe so much too,and we Chinese really focus on being filial, it used to much worst in ancient China,but it still is one of the core values in our upbringing even now.How do you choose?

Or if,like the case above,your siblings future(2 lives vs. your own)?Still going to "follow your dreams"?Well then what about their dreams?Bet you can't say that so suavely now can you.

Or like a drama I was watching,this guy loved his dead wife so much,he doesn't want to remarry;but his mom who is dying of cancer has this last dying wish that he remarries?And everybody he knows is putting pressure on him to do so.How do you choose?

I'm blessed I'm not in that position now,but it might happen sometime in the future,and for those who are in it,or those who have experienced it,or those who are like me-What is the right decision to make?How do you choose?