Dearest Shelby And Kaitlyn,
There is a way to break life down into simple terms. A measured system of how we move about our days.
When we look at every situation, every single thing a person does, it can be broken down to choice.
Get out of bed. Choice. Brush your teeth. Choice. Go to work. Choice. Break a friends trust. Choice. Tell someone you love them. Choice. Pay a bill. Choice. And infinitely on…..
A choice can be a split second decision with barely a blink of effort, or a choice can be a action that you will remember or live with the results for the rest of your life . We make choices all day long that are as involuntary as breathing while other choices should be given time and respect before making any movement.
Choices are the mandatory way of life, the driving force in all we do. I’ve discovered that looking at everything under the umbrella of choice, gives new meaning to personal accountability and responsibility.
Ignoring choice can become a slippery slope into self denial. The erosion of choice happens the moment a person convinces them self that they have no control over personal situations. Humans like to self protect and will quickly issue a ‘pardon of responsibility’ when they have been dealt a consequence they didn’t want.
I have not been immune to this lesson and you will learn that unavoidable truth as well. But I urge you to think about where blame should be placed. Is it easier to blame someone else for the realities of your world? Sometimes.
Does this mentality paint you as a victim of circumstance or a innocent player in the game of life? To the outside eye perhaps. But does it allow you to move beyond the scope of blame and allow you to claim the choices you made and move forward? Not if you are pointing fingers at everyone but yourself. I assure you of this.
There’s a reason I’ve made a point of saying, “You have a choice” all these years when you were faced with decisions. I wanted choice to be a way of life you could always relate. I wanted you to feel what it means to control situations around you through the choices you make. I also wanted to demonstrate that if you made a wrong choice, unpleasant consequences would be the undeniable result of your actions. You would have no one to blame, but yourself.
Choice is an internal power every person I know is gifted with. You will always hold that power. Don’t make the mistake of giving it away. Giving away your power of choice, is a choice in itself, and you’d do well to remember that. I’ve had to learn that lesson the hard way. But, if you find yourself with empty hands and realize you’ve allowed the power of your choice to shift to another, remember this, you can always reclaim it again. Your choice is always yours to claim.
Hold the reminder card of “I have a choice” in front of all the actions you take in life and consider the range of motion your choices may take. Some choices are simple and end in an hour, some choices will hover for days…months….years…a lifetime.
Look at the possible domino effects of your choices. Take the time to balance the cause and effect and then be prepared to live with and claim the rewards or consequences of your choice. Make decisions and be prepared to defend them, stick with them, or re-evaluate them if they aren’t working. Admit when your choice was wrong and cling to a choice you feel devoted.
Last but not least, put the power of choice on a pedestal and honor it in all the things you do.
Love,
Mother
About Rebecca
