“Trust in the LORD… he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

I enjoy watching the television series “Wind at My Back”. Produced by the same people who made “Anne of Green Gables," the series follows the lives of a family living during the Depression in Canada. As the weeks

progressed I watched a young woman gain confidence to leave her mother’s home and eventually marry.

The man she married turned out to be a conman, totally different than the man she thought she married. However, despite the reason he married her, he came to truly love her. When she found out his deception she was unwilling to forgive him. Because of his great love for her he decided the only way to make her happy was to get out of her life forever.

At the same time, a recruitment bus for the International Brigade arrived in town. Their goal was to recruit as many men as possible to fight against the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Our young, misguided

hero signed up and left his young wife with only a letter to explain his actions.

The International Brigade caught my attention because several years ago I did a research project on two young men from Tucumcari who also fought in the Spanish Civil War with the Lincoln Brigade. One young man returned

home to his family while the other one was captured and executed. Unlike the character in the show who was trying to right a wrong, I never learned why the young man who returned home went in the first place. Those who

knew him said he never discussed his reasons for joining or what happened to him.

The other young man went in search of adventure. While at college he attended rallies against the events transpiring in Europe and especially Spain. Spurred on by the excitement of the crowds who were almost a mob,

he turned his back on his family and a promising career. He didn’t realize his rash decision would cost him his life.

I found myself thinking about this fictional character as well as the two young men who once called Tucumcari home. Beginning with the last young man, I could see a similarity with another crowd approximately 2,000 years ago. How many people were caught up in the frenzy of the crowd when Pilate brought Jesus before them? Did they realize they were being manipulated by others? Did they ever stop to think that their actions lead to the death of an innocent man?

What about decisions that affect our lives? Do we spend time in prayer seeking God’s guidance or do we react to our feelings or what we are being told by others? We must always remember that the major decisions of life must not take place hastily.

In the case of our fictional hero, he was trying to right a wrong by enlisting. His departure affected his wife as well as himself. I wonder if he had remained in town, would they reconcile their differences.

It is important to realize how much our actions affect others. Will we allow emotions to dictate our actions or will we seek help from God?

Debra Whittington is a longtime Tucumcari Resident. Contact her at: dawhittington@msn.com