One of the most natural instincts we have is to fight or to flee. Without a doubt, these decisions can change our 
lives forever.
During the revolution for the independence of Venezuela, on July 6th, 1814, some 20,000 people left Caracas toward Barcelona, in the state of Anzoátegui, with Simon Bolivar, fleeing from the Spaniard Jose Tomas Boves. The approximately four thousand people who decided to stay and “fight” encountered a sadistic and ruthless leader with no sympathy. Besides allowing summary executions, he also permitted his men to rape and torture those who remained.
I wonder in this case, who was smarter, those who chose to flee with Bolivar o those who stayed to face their fate through the hate of Boves?
These decisions, among others, mark our existence. History is replete with situations where people have decided whether to take flight from a situation they could no longer withstand, or to stay and fight for what they thought was right.
Some can say those who flee are cowards for not staying to fight for their rights. Others may say those who stay are simply stupid for remaining to be killed, rather than choosing a better life.
Right now we see similar situations in countries like Syria, Cuba, and Venezuela, among others. While those who flee have the opportunity to begin a new life, those who stay and fight are fundamental in generating positive change.
Not everyone has the desire, or the economic wherewithal, to emigrate and begin a new life in a different place. For some, the only option they feel they have is to stay, thoug
h I believe we always have the ability to choose, though these decisions are not always easy.
Regardless of the choice made, most important is not the decision as such to fight or take flight, rather the circumstances and the reasons for why the decision are made. Many decide to do nothing, opting instead to have the decision “made” for them. Fighting or fleeing both have their place.
As is the case in the animal kingdom, in some cases it is worth staying and fighting, while in others remaining is a sure recipe for death. The survival of an animal, and in our case of a human being, frequently depends on the decisions made in these critical moments in time.
Those who flee have the opportunity to begin with a clean canvass, with the ability to paint it with the colors they want. For those who stay to fight, frequently the canvass is already stained, which presents a tremendous challenge to paint freely.
When at all possible, before making a decision to fight or take flight, it is important to carefully analyze each of the factors involved in the situation. With the decision made, we should do something to realize our dreams and achieve that which we most desire. Let’s do all we can to take the reins of our life and not simply allow the decision to be taken for us.
∞ Rob McBride ∞
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