Life is a journey, and there are many different pathways a
person can choose to take along the way.
We are not bound by a set of rules.
This is the one thing I know to be true.
Yesterday, as fireworks burst out amidst a rainy 4th of
July, I found myself watching a party supply commercial that in vivid, colorful
detail explained everything that an American would need for a proper
Independence Day party. This commercial was
followed by an advertisement for all the correct holiday food needed to
celebrate. And, that was followed by one
letting all of us know where we could buy the clothes we would need to make our
celebration appearance. After turning
the TV off, I looked outside at the rain drizzling down and relished in the
idea of settling down into a nice rainy day.
The peaceful quiet made me consider all the paths we are
nudged towards during our lives. From
birth these “nudges” come at us from all directions, and they come to us in the
form of expectations. Disney princesses and
good southern upbringing nudge us towards the mythical happily ever after. Society pushes us towards acceptable careers,
habits, hobbies, etc… Media infiltrates our minds with all the stuff we need.
The list goes on and on.
“Nudges” are thrown at us so often, we are slammed so hard
by them, that we eventually become numb and start going with the flow because
it’s easier to follow along than to make a decision on one’s own.
So, as I watched the rain fall down in perfect droplets on a
holiday when picnics and outside celebrations are considered the “way” to
commemorate, I was reminded that that too was a great path to follow. Sometimes doing the different thing is the
right choice.
Does anyone else struggle with the choice in doing what’s
expected or stepping outside the norm and taking the path most right for you?
