‘It is better to be safe than sorry’ is a phrase we hear regularly. It teaches us an important lesson that becomes useful for various situations in our lives.
But, what does it mean? According to Cambridge Dictionary, ‘It is better to be safe than sorry’ is a famous proverb that means that ‘when you think it is best not to take risks even when it seems boring or difficult to be careful’.
It simply means that it is more prudent to be careful and shield yourself against risks by being cautious and vigilant than regretting your actions later on.
This phrase becomes useful in many situations in our lives. Let us take the example of precautionary items such as helmets and seat belts. There are many advertisements, posters, warnings, etc. that urge us to put on our seat belt or wear our helmet while driving cars and bikes.
Why is that? It is to protect ourselves. Seat belts and helmets are of no use unless an accident actually occurs. They might seem as a nuisance to people who do not like wearing them.
But, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? Helmets and seat belts protect us against a possible accident, and even if they sometimes seem like a nuisance, they protect us from hurting ourselves or even dying in a vehicular accident.
This is why the government, non-governmental organisations, etc. urge the people to wear helmets and seat belts. It is safer to wear them than regretting not wearing them after an accident actually occurs so that the injuries could have been avoided.
Wearing helmets and seat belts alone could save many lives that are lost because of road accidents. Now, wearing such precautionary items does not seem like a nuisance, does it?
In fact, many crimes that are committed can be prevented if a person takes precautionary measures so that he/she does have to suffer through any dangerous situations later on. A person needs to be careful to not trust strangers too much even if they seem really friendly.
While travelling, we need to lock all our belongings properly. When we are hiring new people, we need to properly look into their backgrounds and do a police verification.
When we see suspicious people or items, we need to report them immediately. We need to make sure that all people around our children are trust able. When we take all the measures that makes us safe, we will not be sorry later on. But this proverb does not only apply to situations that are privy to crimes. It applies to other situations as well.
All major decisions in life need to be analysed and properly researched before taking it. Is it not better to be safe and think and analyse of all the possible pros and cons about a particular decision that rashly taking it and regretting later on. Such is true in many situations in life.
As a student, we need to carefully think about what we want to pursue as a career, we need to be cautious and think carefully about where our passion lies. After we choose the career we are interested in and passionate about, we need to carefully think about how we are going to do to advance ourselves in the line that we have chosen. We need to analyse all options available so that later on we have no regrets.
When making deals and deciding on mergers and acquisitions, or expanding the business, business men, entrepreneurs and firms look into such a contract or situation carefully. They do a cost benefit analysis to ensure that the deal they are about to get into is beneficial to them and will result in fruitful outcomes.
They properly analyse the deals that they are thinking upon and make sure that the risks are as minimum as possible. They do this so that they do not find themselves in an unfavourable position later on.
Many people say that business cannot be conducted without taking any risks. But that is not fully true. The risks taken are calculated risks and the amount of damage that can be caused if the risk becomes a reality should be as low as possible.
If big companies and firms start taking decisions on whims and rashly takes it, these companies and firms are bound to fall. This is the reality. Rash decisions taken on whims can never be fruitful.
This proverb is the basis of vaccination. We take precautionary measures and inject ourselves with vaccination so that we are protected against diseases that could harm us if we did not take those vaccinations.
It is better to take vaccinations and be protected against diseases than regretting later when we find ourselves in a situation which we cannot get out of.
This proverb applies even when we are making plans such as plans for traveling or going for a holiday, or plans to move from one place to another, etc. When we are deciding on a place to travel to, or to move to, we need to make sure that these places are not prone to crimes and that we will be safe from harms.
If not, we need to take appropriate steps to ensure our protection. We need to make sure that we have all things that are necessary so that we do not find ourselves in any difficult situation later on. It is better to be prepared than regret. This would also make sure that we have a fun and trouble free travel.
Protecting ourselves against possible dangers does not make us weak implies that we are a coward. It actually proves that we are prudent and have enough reasonable foresight to see all the situations of danger of regret.
A regretful life is an unhappy one. A safe life is one that we do not hurt ourselves, physically, emotionally or mentally. Which life is the one that you want to lead? Those who make rash and rushed decision lose out later in life.
All the situations mentioned above require us to be proactive and to take positive actions to ensure that we are safe. Even if such effort may seem to be useless or too much of a nuisance, or trouble, we need to take time to make such effort. It is only then that we can fully protect ourselves.
Some harm is preventable and we need to take every measure to prevent them. Would you rather lead a life in which you do not take such measures but regret later on? Would you rather be in peril than be safe? No reasonable and prudent person would do that, and those who do, they are putting themselves in danger for some momentary pleasure.
Every situation needs to be carefully examined. There is some assurance in safety. At least, through taking measures, our lives are in our own hands. An assured life is a good life.
Our safety and an assured future are in our own hands. It is time we give enough importance to our own safety and respect our future. Our life is not a joke. Our future deserves our protection.
Therefore, the proverb ‘It is better to be safe than sorry’ is extremely important. It teaches us a practical lesson. It is always advantageous to be careful and cautious, while it is idiotic to leave our future on whims or even fate.
Even if it is fated that we would be in an accident, we need to fight that fate by taking all precautionary measures and ensure that our vehicles are safe and that we wear helmets or seat belts. When we do that, even if an unpredictable accident occurs, we will be safe from problems and lead a regret free life.
This is a lesson that needs to be followed by everyone. Indeed, it is always more prudent and wiser to be safe than be sorry later on.
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