That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen by Ephraim

That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen by Ephraim - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give one piece of advice to my past self, it would come from a quote I once read by Bastiat, citing Chateaubriand, in his famous work That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen. He stated, ‘There are two consequences in history; an immediate one, which is instantly recognized, and one in the distance, which is not at first perceived. The providential event appears after the human event. God rises up behind men. Deny, if you will, the supreme counsel; disown its action; dispute about words; but, look to the end of an accomplished fact, and you will see that it has always produced contrary of what was expected from it, if it was not established at first upon morality and justice’.

Here, Chateaubriand desires to keenly inform the reader to slow down and think about the invisible consequences of our actions; that which is not seen. We tend to miss these potentially negative outcomes because they loom far out in the time horizon, and, oftentimes, we become blinded by the immediate results of our conduct due to instant gratification. In essence, my advice would be this: 'Make decisions after deeply considering the long-term effect of your actions, not just the immediate results. Base them on the enduring principle of doing the moral thing; no matter the circumstance.'

This advice may seem simple and fairly obvious to any reader, however, in application, this principle is very hard to live by. Decisions driven by convenience, impatience, fear, or anger are often the easiest to make because they appeal directly to our emotional impulses. However, actions grounded in those precepts often create long-term consequences that end up contradicting our hopes and ultimate goals. Saying no to fast food is extremely difficult when short-term cravings consistently attempt to entice you and drown out your long-term commitment to better your health.

Yet, it is possible to train ourselves to pause, reflect, and prioritize what is right over what is easy. To gradually learn to execute actions that actually align with our goals, not what will immediately satisfy our desires. Long-term decision making is not always effortless, and will often contain many hardships, but it is always worth it.

I wish I could go back and give my past self this advice. However, maybe if I had not gone through the struggle and reach the end of the rope, witnessing the outcome of my actions, I would not have discovered this principle for myself. I experienced firsthand what happens when you do not think long-term and focus only on immediate feelings.

When I began preparing to go to college, my dad told me I needed to take the ACT. I shrugged it off, thinking I would do just fine without much preparation. I took the test and scored a 21. Dismayed, I realized that to do well, I would need to actually put in the effort if I wanted to improve. I studied hard, day and night, for four months. At the beginning of my senior year, I felt ready, and I took the ACT again. I scored a 24. My heart sank. I had worked so hard, and the result did not reflect the effort I had put in.

I did not want to take it again, frustrated and disappointed at the outcomes of my actions. But, graciously, like a good father does, my dad encouraged me not to give up. So, I kept going, again studying day and night, and took the test one more time. On that third attempt, I scored a 29. While I did not score as well as I hoped, I was at least satisfied. However, deep down, it was not satisfaction that stopped me, it was due to feeling burnt out from studying, not because I got the score I truly desired. I let the emotional toll of fatigue, and the discouragement due to more effort, stop me from trying again.

Looking back, if I had truly thought about the long-term impact of getting an even higher score, like getting into better colleges or becoming qualified for higher paying scholarships, I would have pushed through until I got the 36 I was aiming for. But I didn’t. I let short-term emotions cloud my judgement and I regret not pushing a little further to reach my full potential I knew I had.

That is why I would tell my younger self, 'Think beyond the moment. What feels like the right thing now may not be the right thing for you long-term.' This principle does not just apply to pushing through hardships, it extends to our relationships, careers, and personal goals. In almost every area of life, the choices we make today will shape the opportunities we will have tomorrow. Like Bastiat warned, the consequences that matter most are often hidden. They only become visible once the moment of opportunity has passed, and it is too late to choose differently. Do not miss out on those wins because you did not consider that which is not seen.