The choices we make

Every second of every day we make choices. Do I get up at 5 a.m. or hit snooze? Do I eat Lucky Charms for breakfast or oatmeal? Do I wear a blue shirt or a red shirt today? Every choice we make determines a direction. Some are less serious than others, but there are decisions that have much bigger consequences. Bigger still, some have life consequences that can set you down rough roads in life.

The choices we make not only determine things in our lives, but others are affected as well. Obviously, the choices we make can set courses for our children and grandchildren, but they can also influence those around us on a daily basis. An example of that was a time when I was headed to the grocery store. I was in a hurry and just wanted to grab the few things I needed and be on my way back home. I avoided eye contact with people and even avoided a few friends that I knew would lead into a conversation if I approached them. I was in and out and was pleased with my accomplishment. A few days later I saw a gentleman whom I had recently started talking with and he seemed upset. He was in the store that day and was really feeling down. He saw me and wanted to talk to me, but I avoided him. He knew it, and I knew it. He was in a worse place now, mentally, and I felt absolutely horrible. Now, would my presence that day in the store have made things any better for him? I don’t know for sure. But my actions and choices definitely made his day worse.

We will not be perfect. We will make the wrong choices. But that is part of having free will. The key part is, do we learn from it? Do we avoid making the same poor choices again? On a much bigger scale, we can look at foundational decisions that we base our lives on. As you all know by now, I am a believer in God. I know there are many of you that struggle with this and some have even written letters against what I believe. That’s OK. At least I know you are reading, and hopefully some seeds are planted, and maybe even some new choices are being made. Foundational choices to live your life in a positive manner. Choices for love, not hate.

Choices are major things in your life. What if you decided every morning to have joy? No matter the circumstance, you would find joy in it and show it off. I decided that recently, and it was difficult, but it worked. During the course of the day, I even had one person say some not-so-nice things to me. I instinctively laughed. Because I was having a joyous day and I would not be robbed of it. A side effect of living in joy was that others around me caught it as well. I could visually see the joy come to them as I expressed joy.

There are others out there right now who have struggled their whole lives with things. Big things and little things that require choices. Some are looking for answers. The choices we make set us on a course, and the more poor choices we make, the harder it is to reverse course and go back. Some choices we will never be able to reverse, but there is hope. Hope in a foundational principle. Hope in an unseen God. Hope in the Good News. Some of these ideas will be foreign because of past choices, but I believe that if we start making the right choices, the darkness will be illuminated. Clear thinking returns and positive choices start popping up more and more.

So today I choose joy. Today I choose positivity. Today will be a good day. I will make the right choices, and others will be affected by my choices in a good way. And even if I choose the wrong thing, it is not the end of this path. I will redirect my life. I will continue to stand on the Rock’s firm foundation, and maybe others will step upon it for the first time. Choices are so important for me and for you.