The human being regularly thinks every second of every day. Because thinking is an essential part of our lives. When we think, we control our emotions, actions and make life changing decisions.
Critical thinking is something that we use in our everyday lives as well. It is what we use to make important decisions that will have an impact on our future and yet it is also what we use to make the simple ones.
I used my critical thinking to get out of a situation that could have gone sour pretty quick. I once was faced with consecutive major decisions in my life. I was almost raped by a person I trusted for 7 years. Don't get me wrong, I am not the stereotype of a girl that is most likely to be raped. In my 16 years of existence, I have always been boyish and I don't show a lot of skin. I am strong, hard-headed and independent. However the one night that I was weak and alone, I was taken advantage of. My dignity was almost taken away from me.
There are a lot of people that say, "if that were me I would have punched that person!", When talking about people that were raped. I was also one of those people. But one night changed it all.
I won't go into the details of where and what he was doing, I can never put that to words but here is a short summary. I was alone and I had fallen asleep early. I woke up around 11 PM to find a person in the room with me. My first reaction was to freeze. If it had been anyone else I would have hurt them physically but I had trusted this person for 7 years. My brain stopped. That's when he started mumbling. That's when fear gripped me. I knew however that I didn't have the luxury of time. I needed to act. I started yelling at him. Screaming at him to get out. He did. My brain wouldn't pause. My brain raced on and on about what I should do. Then I thought of my parents.
My mom, a respectable teacher would be mortified that this had happened under her roof. While my dad, a politician that was planning on running for a major position would be humiliated. I had to think of what to do. Would I cover this up and let that criminal roam free or would I have him locked up?
I couldn't decide who to put first, my safety or my parents dignity. I then thought of my sister's. My sister's whose fragile hearts and wills would be broken if any of this had ever happened to them. Suddenly, I knew what I had to do.
I had to stand up for the people that could be someday maltreated the same way I was. I was going to have that man arrested. The decision I had to make in a minute. The decision that could change my life.
I won't tell you what I did next in the order that it happened. That would be because it is too painful to relive those moments. I'll just tell you what resulted. My dad lost the election. People judged my parents for what happened to me. I had to leave my hometown because I hated the looks of pity that people gave me. My dad could never look me in the eye cause he blames himself for what happened to me. Those are things that I hope I can change someday.That man was locked up. No one will ever be harassed by that person ever again.
My decision had many repercussions. Until now, I am forever plagued with the question, "Did I make a right choice?"
