The Power of Choice

In many aspects of life, we humans have a tendency to take things for granted. For example, the use of our hands, or to be more specific, our fingers.

Recently, at work, I was tasked to do a special project, and in the process of preparing what I needed for this project, I injured the tip of my right ring finger. I have a rather nasty blood blister, and a rather painful bruise. As I have gone about my daily activities since I injured myself, I have been reminded of this injury whenever I have bumped into the injured area of my finger. I have also come to realize that I have taken the use of my finger for granted, not really realizing, until now, just how much I use that particular finger.

Each time I have been made (painfully) aware of just how much I do use that particular finger, I have also been made aware that I have taken it’s use and utility for granted, which has caused me to begin to wonder what else have I been taking for granted.

One thing that has popped into my head, that I have been guilty of taking for granted, is the freedom, or power if you will, of choice. We all have the power of choice in everything that we do. We either choose to do something, or not.

William Shakespeare wrote his famous soliloquy for his character Hamlet, in which he asked the famous question, “To be, or not to be.”, which in essence was Hamlet asking himself whether he wanted to continue to live, or not. As we go about our daily lives, we each make choices as to what we will do in any given situation, whether any particular situation dwells in the realm of the sublime (such as listening to classical music, for example), or the ridiculous (such as watching Barney, for example).

We make the choice of whether to get up when the alarm goes off, or not. If we do choose to get up when the alarm goes off, we then choose whether to eat breakfast, or not. Next is the choice of bathing, or not, then what to wear, whether to leave for work, or school, or not, and at what time. Do we do this task first, or that task first? What is the priority of the moment? As our day goes by, we make choices, often times unconsciously, other times with the full realization of the choice we must make at any given time.

But, how many of the choices that we do make, do we take for granted? For example, when we go shopping for food, we (usually) have the choice of purchasing brand name foods, store label foods, or generic label foods. Whatever label we choose to purchase, we do so without much conscious thought, taking for granted that what we want will be there. Others are not so fortunate.

Another choice we make, is where we will live. Part of that equation is our economic standing. Can we afford to live where we want to live? Will we live on the “right side” or “wrong side” of the tracks? Another part of that equation is whether or not there is the opportunity of employment in the field of our choice, whether that field is ditch digging or astrophysics. Another part we must consider, if we have school aged children is, what is the quality of education that is available for our children? Choices we make in this area will have an effect on our “quality of life”. Are we taking the ability to choose where we will live for granted?

Here in America, in general, we have the freedom to choose how we will live, and yet many of us are guilty of taking that freedom to choose for granted. I must admit that for many years, I have been guilty of taking my freedom of choice for granted, and it has really only been recently that I have made the choice to savor my ability to freely choose, within reasonable bounds, what I will do with my life.

I have the choice to be happy, or not.
I have the choice to participate in the life of my community, or not.
I have the choice to voice my opinion on various topics, or not.
I have the choice to stand up for freedom, and to savor that freedom, or not.
I have the power of choice, and I choose to not take it for granted.

You, too, have the power of choice.
What will you choose to do with that power today?
Will you choose to savor that power, or take it for granted?
Your choice.