Choices

Follow-Up to LSD

In my last article, I mentioned the fact that over the years we make many choices and decisions. Some are good, some are bad, some are important, some not so important.

The one thing I have noticed as I get older, I think about some of those choices and wonder what might have been if I had made a different choice. Sometimes, one choice made in a different way could have changed my whole life.

Now let me say, I am not complaining about my choices. I have had a good life and things have worked out great even with some bad choices along the way. I have a wonderful family, I have many friends from over the years, I worked my dream job as a firefighter, and I am totally enjoying retirement. Yet, sometimes I cannot help but think about how things could have been very different. It is actually mind-boggling when you really concentrate on the idea that one difference choice could have changed everything.

A few instances I can think of is when I was younger, my dad, who worked for the railroad, had a job offer that would require us moving to Philadelphia. I often wonder what would I be doing now if I had grown up there rather than in Columbus? Different schools, different friends, different jobs. Who knows what would have happened.

In 1972, the year I graduated high school, I received my draft number early in the year. To my surprise, before my number ever got called, President Nixon ended the draft. I would have served my country if my number came up, but truthfully, I was never so happy to hear the draft ended. Of course, I wonder what would have happened if I was drafted and spent time in the military.

Another time, I started working at a local business newspaper. It was my first job, but turned out I worked there for twenty-six years. After I had been there a couple years and still parttime, I took a new job offer with a county government office. As soon as I told my boss that I was leaving, he immediately offered me full-time with a nice raise which was double the pay of the new job. It all sounds pretty simple, but thinking back now, if I had decided to take the new job, I would never have met my current wife. If I had not met my wife, I would never have had the courage to take the test for the fire department, which was my dream job.

We all make choices and decisions every day. Not all are life changing or important, but each choice could be something that could alter things in your life. I only say this to point out the importance of making decisions wisely, do not rush into a decision, take time to meditate on the possibilities. We are not always going to be able to see into the future as to how our choices matter, but keep in mind the importance of taking our time and making wise choices. This is the best we can do and we can look back someday knowing we are where we are supposed to be in life because of our choices.