Choose Life

August 24, 2018

It’s a very short trip from content to discontent, and it all depends on what we’re looking for. The irritations, disappointments, and just plain ordinariness of life are like tiny pebbles in a shoe; not much to them, but they make every step painful. You can shake your foot and try to move it where it won’t bother you so much, but until you make the decision to stop, take off the shoe and tip it upside down, that tiny irritation will continue to make life miserable for you.

We have choices in life. We can look at all the ways people don’t measure up to our expectations, at the plans that went awry, all the things in life that are beyond our control, or we can look for the unexpected blessings, all the minor miracles that continually come our way. The problem for many of us is that we don’t actually have to complain or criticize for negativity to darken our path. Just dwelling on them in our minds or talking over legitimate grievances with a friend can be enough to cloud the skies that are otherwise clear blue.

Choose life! Today and every day. That short trip from content to discontent is not a one-way street. Contentment is mostly a matter of choosing to dwell on better things. It’s a lesson that took me too many years to learn. I’m thankful that I finally did.