Do choices matter?

Do choices matter? And if they do, does that mean that all the choices we make in life matter? Probably. Some more than others though. Some will matter for a few scant seconds, while others can impact your life-and the lives of others-for years to come.

Say, for instance, that you're sitting at your computer, bored to tears, and decide to watch videos at a popular website. Did that decision make any significant difference in your life? Other than entertaining you for a little while, my guess is that it did not. Unless, of course, you were watching something designed to teach, or something inspirational that leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction for time well spent.

But what if you decide to go out on Saturday night with a few of your friends? You're all trying to be cool, wondering what you can do to improve your chances for a fun evening, when the guy who failed Common Sense 101 suggests you make a stop at a local department store. He thinks you ought to buy several industrial sized packages of toilet paper and then go decorate your math teacher’s yard. The rest of you must have only pulled in 'D's' because you all agree, enthusiastically, that it's a great idea! Just your luck, Mr. Uwannadetention is home, just getting ready to doze off when he hears your snickers and whispers. Do choices matter? You'll be asking yourself this question many times tomorrow, as you and your pals spend most of the day with fishing poles and trash bags, removing forty-five rolls of tissue that seems glued to the tree now, all the while lamenting your lack of success and bad luck.

What if the same buddy who came up with the TP escapade gets mad at his father, sneaks a couple of beers from the refrigerator and starts cruising around town. As the alcohol starts to get to him, his anger increases at his old man. And the madder he gets, the faster he drives. Eventually he's going to regret his choice to drink and drive.

Then there's your cousin Sue. She's a pretty girl. You've never really understood why she seems so insecure, and you probably never will. You wonder why she's dating a bully from the football team, and you actually get scared for her when she announces that she's marrying the guy after graduation. You don't know that her insecurities stem from a father who is a bully and a mother who meekly lets him rule the roost with an iron fist. If Sue follows through with her plans, history will repeat itself from one generation to another and another.

At least until someone decides that enough is enough. Too bad it won't happen with your cousin. Do choices matter? They should. The only choices we make in our lives should be the ones that will give us the motivation to continue to grow and change. Positive choices that will not only benefit us, but every person we come into contact with forevermore. The only alternative is poor choices. And fishing for toilet paper, accidents and bad marriages are not the kinds of things you should be striving for!

We can only see choices if we take the time to see what they can be. Choices only matter if we think them through. Then and only then can we make the best choice for ourselves that will determine are own future. Stop, think, and then make your move.