Choices

Choices...we make them every day.  Usually they are not life impacting, but sometimes they are and we don't even realize it.  

During the past few weeks I watched my daughter make one of the most difficult decisions she has had to make in her short life.  I watched her struggle and weigh the options.  I offered advice when she asked, but the most important thing I did for her was support her.  Whatever her decision, we would be behind her 100%.  Her struggle---whether to stay in volleyball or change and run cross country.  Some would not understand the difficulty she had, and 20 years from now, it may not matter at all, but when you are raising a teen-age girl who is athletic, making a decision like this is major.  She ultimately went with cross country because she knows that will help her reach her goal of running at state track.  I couldn't be prouder of her.  She has experienced success and has medaled at every meet she has run.

So back to my topic...choices.  I've also in the past few weeks witnessed people making a choice that not only affects their health negatively but also those around them.  Proof that the choices we make today can impact our lives or the lives of others tomorrow.  Because of this choice, they are missing out on the "big" things in life.

Every day I see students make choices in the classroom...some are wise and some are not.  I always try to teach my students that the choices they make today may have a consequence they don't like tomorrow.  I think some may have learned that lesson, but there are others who unfortunately "choose" to ignore the signs.  My hope is that they figure it out someday.

I guess in the end we should all follow our hearts, instincts, and that inner voice.  I've never gone wrong listening to that voice.  It has told me to turn around and go home instead of going on a trip, to apply for that job, to not head to class right on time, and the list could go on and on.  Each one of those examples, I can relate back to a moment in my life that made an impact.

Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another.