Choice and Accountability

When I was in the Young Women's organization as a youngster, the Church changed the Young Women's program. Ardeth Kapp was the president, and I remember being at the meeting where the new Young Women's theme and the values were introduced. I can still recite the theme, and remember all of the values.

One that has had an increasing relevance in my life is "Choice and Accountability." The older I get, the more I realize that EVERY choice I make has a consequence--be it good or bad. This is EVERY choice--from what to eat in the morning to whether or not to take the time to say my evening prayers. Case in point--if I eat anything with cinnamon in it, I get an upset stomach. Sometimes I eat it anyway, but I have to deal with the consequences. :0(

I love quotes...I put them up everywhere. In that vein, here are a few of my favorites regarding choice:

There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them. --Denis Waitley

It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.--J.K. Rowling

Until a person can say deeply and honestly, "I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday," that person cannot say, "I choose otherwise" --Stephen Covey

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. --Martin Luther King, Jr.

My personal favorite:

The secret of life isn't what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you. --Norman Vincent Peale

Favorite Scripture on the topic:

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. 2 Nephi 2:27

I have had a lot happen to me over the course of my life--most of it health-related. I have strived (and have not always succeeded) to maintain a positive attitude throughout it all. I keep telling myself that, "Well, at least I'm here!" It would be so easy for me to wallow in self-pity and misery, but that wouldn't do anyone any good. Not only would I be miserable, but it would make everyone around me VERY miserable. When I'm being poked with an IV needle for the 6th time in one visit, the nurses always remark about how good I am, and how positive I remain. This shocks me, as why would anyone choose to be difficult in that situation? What choice do we have?

Bottom line--life is all about choices. Some are big, others small. The biggest choice we have in life is how we deal with the "crap" we are dealt in our life. (And we're all given our dose of crap!) We knew we were going to be faced with trials and tribulations when we came here. If you believe, as I do, that we knew--at least to some degree--how difficult this life would be before we came here, then how can we be surprised at the hurdles that come our way? We're here! We have a body! We get to experience life! I can imagine how happy I was to get here to Earth--even though I knew I'd have my fair share of difficulties.

My hope is that I'm doing all I can do to live up to the gift that my Father in Heaven has given me. He gave me, well...me!