Power Of Choice
03/08/2019
“Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.”
―
Choices define the paths our lives take; however, not all of my choices, especially the quick ones, have been the best decisions. Everyone makes choices, but making choices doesn’t always come easy to me. Choices can bring great opportunities or great tragedies, or blend both. At no other time in my life did a choice seem more obvious than my decision to do a flip off the Jaws Bridge in Martha’s Vineyard. It was a quick decision based on instinct, like my dogs running to the smell of bacon. On this day, my choices surrounded and built upon each other. The decision to put on my swimsuit lead to choosing to open the red jeep’s door, which lead to plunging my feet onto the hot sand. Those decisions brought me to look over the bridge, and flip into the water. I was unsure, but after seeing others doing triple backflips, I knew I could do one. I leaped into the air but before I knew it, I hit the water hard. I tried to ignore the pain in my neck but it was no use. The choice to jump the bridge was a bad, however, a good decision; subsequently, doing it had rewards; as a result, it hurt my neck. While this specific choice didn’t shape my path in life, some do. The daily decisions you make that show who you are and who you plan to become. The choice to flip off Jaws had its short-term benefit of pride, but it hurt my neck, which canceled those benefits. This choice taught me to not rush into things. I can pause to think through things more. Our choices can shape our days; while they may not always lead to good outcomes, we must learn from them for the future.