3/21/2006

the consequence of choice

Life is about choice. Choices to leave. Choices to stay. The choice to run from something or the choice to face it head on. Some choices are made without foresight or contemplation. Some choices are pondered much too long and in your procrastination to make a choice, the choice is made by proxy. Some choices are full of regret, some cause us to be grateful. Some choices can change the course of many lives, some can ruin the life of one. A choice is not always yours by default, some never have a choice - to choose who their parents are, to choose who they love or who loves them, to choose safety over harm, to choose truth over lies. Some, take choice away from those most vulnerable, those too weak, those who rely on someone to love them enough to make the right choices.

One day in the life of you or me is roughly made up of at least ten choices. The choice to be in a good mood when you wake up tired from the night before. The choice to ignore the co-worker who treats you with disrespect. The choice to take a walk on your lunch hour or the choice to stay chained to your desk oblivious of the outside world. The choice to notice that the sun is shining or the choice to see only the clouds. The choice to wish upon stars or the choice to never notice they exist. The choice to share bits of your life with anonymous friends or the choice to keep it all to yourself. Some choices seem insignificant, some seem insurmountable, some come quickly, some never come at all. In all your choices, the ones you've made, the ones that have been made for you, which ones do you remember the most? Why not remember them all? Why not make the choice to make each one significant? Remember those who never live long enough to make any choice.

This post is dedicated to the two little girls who died within the last two weeks from stray bullets on the Westside of Chicago - one as she celebrated her surprise birthday party, one as she got ready for school. Death has stolen their choice. Be grateful people - make your choices with your eyes wide open.

5 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...
    Gun violence is not going to go away until law makers make the right choice to enforce tougher sentences to these crimes.

    Children can be taught how to make the right / safe choice,if society would help enforce human rights.

    I know a little boy who missed a spray of bullets while he lay sleeping.You can never imagine the fear of crawling across a floor covered in broken glass in the dark of night from the bullet shattering your window and peace of mind.The little boy is is no longer little but will never forget that choice someone made to blow his secrurity.The shooter did not know what house held its intended target so he shot at several along the way.
    For me,I am so grateful everyday that little boy is alive.
    He is my son.

    Some lessons our kids learn are from the bad choices others make.

    Thanks for sharing~
    WoodChuck said...
    That's so sad. I visited my college roomie last week and they're foster parenting two crack babies. I wanted to weep at the choice thrust upon these two.
    Lori said...
    Someone made the choice to pull the trigger on those guns...and you wonder what goes through such a person's mind. What led them to make such a decision, and in their doing so, taking away the life of someone who had none.

    It makes me cling to my own children and to the positive choices I hope we all continue to make.

    Prayers for the loved ones of those dear children.
    kimmyk said...
    I love the fact that I get choices in my life. Everyday is a choice....I try to remember that often.

    My heart goes out to the families of those lil girls....how sad.
    JJ said...
    What a wonderful post. Spoken right from the heart.
    I see you,
    JJ

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