“I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursing: Therefore choose life.” paraphrased from Deuteronomy 30:19

Choosing never stops. We don’t get up one morning, choose well, and set that choice in motion forever. It’s a daily thing. 

This reality brings to mind the question my friend’s dad asked from his deathbed. He lay there alone except her visits and the nurses quietly going in and out. He didn’t have much to show for his life. He asked his daughter, “How’d I get here?” 

“A million bad choices, Dad. That’s how.” 

Every time his story comes to mind, I tear up. We think of leaving a legacy as a good thing, but it isn’t a given that our legacies are positive. The life we live and the memories we leave behind are made up of a million choices – good ones and bad ones. 

Each choice we make sets up the next choice and the next day and the week … and finally, it sets up the legacy we leave. 

It’s too overwhelming most days to dwell on every single choice and weigh out every single decision. However, it’s more overwhelming, at least for me, to get to the end of a day and have drifted aimlessly through 16 hours. 

I did just that yesterday. I unpacked and washed loads of clothes, blankets, and sleeping bags after our weeklong vacation. Other than that, the day ended up aimless. I even joked about it, “I can’t get today back and I haven’t done one constructive thing with it because, let’s be honest, the washer is working harder than I am.” 

I can justify wasting a day here and there, but I don’t want to get to the end of my life and ask, “How’d I get here?”

Coming back to life means I’m intentional about my next choice, and one good choice isn’t so hard to make. 

In This Together,
Kim

FYI: I’m blogging my book titled On The Other Side of Trying Hard: Healing, Happiness, and Holiness. Because these blog posts are a manuscript instead of stand-alone stories, some posts may leave you hanging. I hope you’ll hang in here with us anyway ‘cause a happy ending is coming. My blog post title includes the chapter title first. The phrase in parentheses is the subheading. I’m over-the-top grateful to have you here. I’d love to hear your reflections, questions, and comments.