Just this week a friend sent me a mug shot of an old friend. One whom I have lost touch with over the years because of her choices and patterns that she’s refused or been
unable to break.
It appears my old friend has been arrested four times over the last four months. Her family has cut her off, she’s without any friends, and she’s been in a pattern of drugs, abuse, and lies for longer than I can remember.
Her now teenage daughter is one of the most beautiful spirits I have ever met. Living with her grandmother, she’s determined never to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Despite her strength, fortitude, and will to become a powerful adult one day, the situation is heart breaking.
I remember the days where my old friend and I would head out on the town for a night of bar hopping, clubs, and fun. One day it was no longer fun for me and we distanced ourselves as I would chose to go home and she’d choose to stay out the rest of the night.
Over the years I’ve seen her go in and out of rehab, promising this time was different, saying she’d changed – yet to find out she’d relapsed once again.
Seeing her mug shots this week reminded me that life is really a series of choices. Some harder than others, some physical and psychological and hidden beneath our awareness. Regardless of where her addiction stems from – the point is how we are all made up of our choices.
Looking back at where you are today you can see how a series of choices put you exactly where you are in this moment.
Last week I was reflecting on all the times I have felt like “I have found it!” the key to my happiness and career. Each time, knowing I was getting closer to the truth.
Returning back to school and selecting a school that didn’t have an undergraduate program for elementary education, I chose psychology.
Not finding a job in that field, I chose to buy a franchise.
Not being able to make that business work, I moved to Colorado.
Looking for a new career path I returned to school again for counseling.
Realizing that counseling was too demanding, I chose coaching.
Seeing how I love to write and create through coaching lead me to writing.
Writing led me to this very point….
A series of choices, all stacked upon one another. All leading me to where I am right now in this very moment. Your choices have done the same. Despite where you may stand currently, your choices will take you where you need to go. After all, you chose to be here.
I love the way you described the sequence of decisions that led you to where you are today in one major dimension of your life. That would be a great exercise to engage in, asking “what decisions got me to this point?” And more importantly seeing how we can choose the decisions we’ll make in the future… the series of decisions that will lead us to a new point in life. I think it’s a powerful way to think about life and how empowered we can choose to be.
A mug shot? Wow, how sad … but hope is not lost, perhaps one day she will make the choice that brings her genuine happiness, and perhaps one day her daughter, family, and freinds will see the change as well. I believe choices are like doors … depending which one you open it can lead you to a roadblock or continued happiness. THANKS for sharing your choices – as always your heart is so genuinely open. Some choices I have made in the past I frown upon, but I can’t say that I would had changed them if it meant that I wouldn’t have the happiness I have now
The choices I made in the past, has lead me to where I am now .. and I am happy and so grateful for every day! I am looking fwd to your next post!