On Choice
This weekend I was sitting outside and noticed a spider’s web glimmer in the sun. I don’t know how long the spider’s webs had been there, but clearly for longer than I’d been sitting in this spot this morning. I thought wow, how did I not notice this before -- maybe I didn’t notice you before because I wasn’t looking, which was true, but also the wind and sun hadn’t moved you in a way that caught my eye. I saw you no sooner or later than was meant to be by both my eyes and the guidance of nature. But then I thought, how silly is it of me to think I am the only variable responsible for the things I notice in life -- that I am in control of everything that happens to me?
The spider web was a reminder that while we are in control of many things in life, and that there are also external forces guiding us along the way. It is when we choose to open ourselves to life that life opens itself up to us. And as we navigate with this perspective in mind, life plays out as it’s meant to be at exactly the right time -- no sooner, or later. We always find your way, even when things seem unclear. As my grandmother says, “a road always appears when you arrive at the end of each path.”
Optional Exercises/Journal Prompts:
Think of a time something did not go as planned. What factors contributed to this? Who was involved with you? And what part did you play in this event?
Think of a time you succeeded in something. What factors allowed you to achieve this? Who was there to support you? And what part did you play in this success?
Take a deep breath in, and hold for as long as you can. Release your breath, and hold for as long as you can. Notice how your body knows when to breathe in, and when it’s time to breathe out. What does this represent to you?