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Oh, what a joy to be able to address this topic! A favorite song comes to mind, Freewill, by Rush. I will quote it often.
“You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You can choose from phantom fears or kindness that can kill, I will choose a path that’s clear, I will choose freewill”
Thank you Neil Peart for those inspiring words!
Everyday is a choice in this world. I chose to wake up, get out of a warm comfortable bed, mainly for the promise of hot coffee. I choose to continue to go to work, even on days I just need a break! There are many things for which we don’t have choices; at least I find that I don’t, as easily as others. Have you heard of those miraculous people who truly pull off the ‘happiness is a choice’ type philosophy? I think that is amazing, and a goal I work towards. If you happen to be one the ‘happy’ people, I congratulate you. I also ask you to have compassion for those who don’t have that choice. We label them as mentally ill or emotionally weak or those needing help. There truly are days when as much as I want to choose happiness, something dark inside just will not allow that choice to be made, and I’m not afraid to admit that.
Now, I do find little ways to choose happiness, and those ways will hopefully start to add up with practice, patience, and time – like a recipe almost. For example, this past week, I’ve avoided social media. I’m not easily offended, but that place has been full of fear and hate, television too. For my own happiness and sanity, I’m choosing to turn it off. I don’t need all that propaganda and programming. I can think on my own. I have access to a powerful inner teacher, also known as myself, that I trust much more than what some person in power wants me to believe, (or plays on any prejudices or fears for a vote).
I choose to give some more time to me. There’s nothing selfish in that. (By the way, who or whatever started the whole guilt-feeling thing because people just want to take care of themselves and seem selfish, well, let’s just nicely say that needs to go away). Choose to be more selfish, more often. Seriously, how can you give and care of others when you yourself aren’t together? I’m no good for anything when I’m falling apart.
I suppose that brings up some philosophy. Some say, give of yourself to feel better, while others say to take care of you. I ask why must it be one or the other? Does one have to choose? Pffft! No!
Choice almost seems annoying at times. Does the world seem so black and white that choices have to be made? “Stand up for your beliefs no matter what!” I hear that too often, and ask, what if direct evidence changes how you believe? Can you accept that your beliefs may have been wrong? You chose them, I chose them, and they chose them. Are you open enough to choose to change if needed?
How often do we even realize the situations we do or don’t have choices in? Do you ever just watch and be aware of that? Not in judgment of you, just in observation, without the mental mind chatter. Maybe that’s a way. A key.
Observe. You still make a choice. You choose to observe, and not give attention to the monkey mind with its judicial robes and gavel.
You choose for your own happiness and peace, to not make a choice in the madness of the world that is portrayed on the TV. Choose to be a lighthouse. Choose to be a peacemaker by not giving into having to choose sides, opinions, causes, or social activism. Choose peace.
Become peace.
– Jozzy Allman, Columnist ‘Jozmos’
Jozzy is an advocate for health and wellness, of body, mind, and emotions. He shares “what works for (him).” Jozzy also spins fire and cooks creative cuisine.
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