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As
my heels clicked across the pavement, my mind was racing. I was running
late for work. I chose to hit the snooze button one to many times this
morning. This was not a good
way to start the day. Then to make matters worse, I had to choose an
outfit to wear to work, as I did not get my clothes ready last night. My
closets are crammed. My dressers are overflowing. The choice was not easy.
I
glanced up and saw a police car across the parking lot. There was an
officer opening the back door helping a convict out. I guess that is what
you would call the young gentleman in the black and white striped outfit
with handcuffs on his hands.
As
I passed by this young man and the police officer, I thought to myself I
wonder what the young man chose to do that he has ended up in this way of
life right now.
It
is a scary world we live in. All of us are living in this world making
choices every day of how to live our life.
As I write, a thought comes to my mind. I wonder how many choices a
person has to make in a day of their life. I bet if I developed an Excel
spreadsheet to track mine, I would have a huge graph!
We
choose what we eat everyday. All right, I confess. I chose to eat the
licorice and M&M’s today. There were no carrot sticks or celery
available. That is the excuse I made for the poor choice of not eating
healthy today.
It
was a long day at work. I was tired. I chose to go home instead of going
to the gym to work out. I put in a mentally challenging day. That is the
excuse I used for not exercising.
After
I got home I turned the television and computer on. I chose to relax
instead of doing housework. I needed to get caught up on my email and the
news. That is the excuse I used for once again not cleaning and balancing
my checkbook.
These
are just a few choices I made. I had an excuse for all of them. Upon
reflecting of choices, I can relate them to the choices folks have to make
in Empowered Recovery.
There
are a lot of them. The biggest choice of all is, “Do I stay in this
relationship? Or do I leave this relationship?”
Only
you can make that choice. No one else can decide for you.
I
ask, do you want to be like the convict who made a poor choice and become
a hostage to the handcuffs of an alcoholic relationship? Or would you
rather be like the young woman with her heels clicking on the pavement of
freedom? How will you choose to live your life? Can you live with your
choice with no excuses attached?
--Robin
Walters, February 1, 2006 |
