There are so many things I can write about related to life and many of my previous posts have touched on some of those things. However, the one thing that keeps coming to mind is CHOICE.

The one thing in life we will all be faced with is tests or situations in which we have to make choices. The tests may not always be easy. The answers to the questions may not be clear. Nevertheless, we have to choose. The test is making the right choices.

The key to helping us make the right choice is knowledge. Knowledge from the education we receive through our formal studies. Knowledge we receive from counsel provided to us by friends, family, or other advisors. Knowledge may also come from simply following the directions or instructions on the side of a box.

Consider the classic statement from the movie Forrest Gump, based on the novel by Winston Groom, “Momma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get”. When I think of this statement, the part that I can’t stop thinking about is the second sentence, “You never know what you’re gonna get.” Most boxes, even ones during the time in which the character Forrest Gump was a young child, all have information regarding the various types of chocolate in the box. Most even tell you specifically the type of chocolate that is in a particular place in the box. The problem is we often disregard or ignore the information and quickly grab the first piece we see resulting in a wrong choice.

On the other hand, sometimes in life we may be presented with a situation where we lack the needed knowledge to make the right decision, but we still have to choose. Perhaps the box of chocolates is missing the needed the information to help us make the right choice. In situations like this, the choice we need to make is to delay our choice and seek the knowledge we need to ensure the right choice is made. Unfortunately, many times we go ahead and choose. We give in to temptation and make the wrong choice.

When we make the wrong choice, feelings of disappointment, frustration, regret, uneasiness, sadness and despair will occur. However, the greatest thing to remember is that we have the ability to choose. We can choose to overcome these feelings. We can choose to change.

Our greatest gift in life is our ability to choose. We can choose to live our life the way we want, but we must accept that negative consequences will result from bad choices and take responsibility for those choices.

In some ways, life is like a series of multiple choice tests. Each test or situation we are faced with will require us to select the best answer or option. Sometimes, the correct answer is clear. We look at our options and immediately we know which one to choose. Other times, we look at the options and perhaps get a little confused because we see that multiple options would be correct, but we can only choose one. Then, as we review the situation more closely, we see that there is an option that would allow us choose all of the correct answers. Finally, in some cases, it appears none of the options are right so we begin to feel confused and unsure, but then we remember that we always have the choice to choose none of them.

Ultimately, regardless of the number of choices there is always only one correct answer: Choose the Right. Be good. Be true. Be real. When we do so, we will pass the test and receive the blessings and rewards that come from it.