Shine Today™

William J Corbett

Obstacles.

We each have our own…

deal with them in our own way…

…and can be told we made the wrong choice.

How often do we have to make decisions? If you think clearly about it,everything except breathing and internal body functions,are decisions made,no matter how easily we have made them. Most decisions involve things we have already been through,no matter the previous outcome. Things as simple as picking up your keys from where you decided to leave them,because of previous places they were put,you may or may not have changed their placement. Now walk out the door. Which door did you choose? I have 3 outer doors on my house. I use the back door when I am taking the dogs out,because there is a fence there so they can’t run into the street. One of the dogs is bouncy and runs. The other is blind and wouldn’t know a street from the sidewalk. I use the side door for the meter readers and pretty much nothing else. Decision based on that’s where the stairs to the meters is. Pretty simple. I use the front door,mainly,and because it is close to my car,it is a warmer welcome for family and friends,it has a mid-room for stomping off snow and wiping of shoes…and my shoes are placed there,as are my keys.

Okay…now all of that was pretty simple,right? Everyday decisions based on everyday processes.

Now you are driving to work and turn down the same exact street that you always turn down,probably because of some previous experiences while driving there. Remember when you were going there for your interview? Or your first day? Remember any angst while getting ready to drive there? Mapquest? GPS? Still didn’t completely trust either to get you there on time? Okay…now there is a “Road Closed” sign on the only route you know how to get there. No “Detour” signs. Depending on the time still available to get to your appointed place,the level of anxiety rises. I know people who have stopped and called in sick only because this caused such a problem.

Storytime…

When I got out of the Marine Corps,I had little trade experience,but called on being a mechanic because I was good at it and I enjoyed it. I couldn’t get hired because no one took the 4 years of military experience. Luckily,being a Marine got me a job as a bouncer,but even that was difficult because of the owners previous lawsuits and he had thought Marines are too punchy,too fast on the trigger. He learned that this Marine had control,when necessary,and I could drag 2 people out at a time…when necessary.

Getting too long-winded here,sorry!

So,I get into a school that will get me a certificate that says I am a school trained mechanic,so I can get a better paying job with less chance of being hit by a bottle. The school is very strict about many things,including being timely. They give demerits for being any seconds late. Good choice as employers enjoy employees that show up to work on time. I can totally see their point in this exercise.

I’m driving to school. 12 weeks have passed and I haven’t been late ever. Always left home about 45 minutes early for a 32 minute drive. The school is not close to my stomping grounds and I know one way to get there. Problem is this…there are three train trestles on the way to Depew (where the school is located),which makes the roads slant down and then back up underneath them…steeply. It’s been raining for a few hours before I am headed to school and is still raining on my way.  I get to the 2nd trestle and there is a car floating in the water that has gathered in the road. I decide I was never named Moses and that I won’t attempt a crossing of this Nile…but I don’t know another way to school. I still have 15 minutes to get there,though,so I’m good. I turn around,when I can,with all the others that are turning around. This is a major road into Depew and it is rush hour,so there are a bunch of us. Now I have about 11 minutes to find my detour route. Shorter story,I got to school one minute and extra seconds late. I was called into the “man”s office and told I was being given 5 demerits for being late. I explained my tardiness and implored a change of heart due to my previous record of never being late,always being early and that I had straight A’s in all of my classes. The “man” didn’t care.

“If you are a tardy employee at any time,you are not a good employee. You should have known to find a different route earlier in case you ever needed it…5 demerits!” Gavel slammed in my head…

Now assign decision-making to something quite a bit more important.

Your health issues,physical or mental. Tough decisions,right?

How about making those same decisions for another person.

How about being asked to make these difficult decisions for another person when there are several other people involved.

Several other people who won’t take the responsibility for a decision like this but they will be vocal about your decision-making to everyone but you.

This is what I know to be true in my life.

Decisions can be difficult. I work with what I know in an attempt to find a good answer. If I still have questions,I ask questions of those that are better informed than I.

I try,no matter what,to find all of the information that I can before making any difficult decision…which in my case,includes prayer.

Once I make the decision,I ride it out and let the Good Lord take care of the rest.

I don’t allow second guessing by anyone…including myself. No two people will see an obstacle in the exact same light and we will never have the exact same experience,even in the exact same experience!

If there is reasonable question to why we have chosen a path,they will accept reasonable answers. If they are unaccepting,they are dismissed as unaccepting. Agree to disagree or take your argument elsewhere. Stand on your decisions as the best you could make with the experience,guidance,counsel and prayer. Never feel you need to defend these decisions to anyone.

Often times,Dear Lord,I pray,you guide my life in every way

My prayers are as simple as this. These are the words I use daily,and again when I feel any need to use them. Then I listen for a feeling. Trust in your feelings,especially when you are waiting for an answer.

I wish you peace!

~b

 

 

 

 

 

 

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