From the moment you wake up, it begins.  Whether it be the sound of your alarm clock, or someone calling out your name.  You will have to choose between snoozing just a few minutes more or getting up right away.  And from there, it’s nonstop. Some will be small, others big, and a few of them burdensome, but all day, every day, you must make decisions about everything you do. Every area of your life requires it.

Most people have developed daily routines and habits. These habits of personal grooming and methods for starting the day may include exercise, prayer, meditation, and other personal religious or self-help practices.  Still, regular practices are the result of having made a prior decision to do so. An individual must decide to have and be committed to, a routine.  And, like everyone else on the planet, I too have my own set of practices that have been developed over the years.

For the most part, its pretty much the same, but quite interesting. One pattern I have is that I routinely make a mess of my room when getting dressed in the morning.  It’s like I have some sort of daily out of body experience. When I come to myself, drawers are emptied, and half my closet is on the bed.  I’m always looking for the one thing that is never anywhere to be found until I don’t need it. It really is strange, because I really am a neat and organized person. Well, you know what I mean, each pile is neatly organized, and things are NEVER just strewn all over the place. I hate that … But anyway, enough about that.

Additionally, whenever possible, part of my daily planning includes deciding where I will go with my camera that day. I have come to enjoy photography immensely.  Recently, a friend told me about an area in NY that I was unfamiliar with. It’s known to be a pretty popular spot for photographers, outdoor wedding shoots, etc. – a Brooklyn neighborhood called Dumbo. If you are from the area you’re already familiar with it, and may even recognize the spot in the photo.

My friend was absolutely right!  It was a great place to shoot.  Lots of people hanging out, beautiful cobblestone streets, and plenty New York City skyline views.  I had tons of fun deciding what to shoot.  On this day, I was really in the moment, taking it all in. Moving about, within the 10 block radius, proved to be quite a pleasant experience. There is a whole psychology to the way I approach photography.  For me, it’s therapeutic, and I will add, sometimes it’s even mood altering in the best way.   I had made a good decision, and things worked out well.  I wish I could say that about everything in my life.  Don’t you? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that each time you had to make a decision you’d always make the absolute best choice?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

Life will always present us with more than one path as we journey along.  In love, in business, in deciding where to live, which school to attend, which job to accept, we will always have to make a choice and then hope it was a good decision.  There are never any guarantees.

In the picture, all of the cars are facing in the same direction, heading towards the merge in the center. But I was on foot, facing the opposite direction.  The traffic rules had no impact on me as a pedestrian, in terms of the direction I could go in. I was going to have to decide which path I would take. I had to decide which way would be best for me to get back to my car, and which would have the best sights, and conveniences along the way.  Metaphorically, sometimes everything around us is in sync.  The masses are moving in the same direction, but you feel like you are going against the grain.  It seems like what works for others just simply does not work for you.  The temptation in those instances is to turn and follow along.

But I’d like to encourage you to be courageous in the navigation of your life’s journey.  Be willing to make the decisions that you sense are the best ones for you.  If everyone else is moving, but you feel like it’s time for you to stop, by all means, do so. If everything around you has come to a screeching halt, but deep down inside a voice is pushing you not to quit, then please don’t.  There will always be crossroads and intersections. Life will never stop giving you options. So, don’t be afraid to make a choice. Sometimes you will get it wrong, and that’s ok. Just learn the lesson, trace your steps to discover where you went wrong, and then keep it moving.  Some people are saying “this is the year for this and that”, and maybe it is for them, but don’t feel bad if those declarations aren’t resonating with you. Decide what you believe about where you are in your journey, and then do what you believe you’re supposed to do.  Pray, be diligent, keep some accountability partners nearby, and head in the direction you sense is for you.

Make the decision today to go where you need to go, and to be where you are called to be… The choice is yours, and yours alone.