That Decisive Moment

      Life certainly takes us on an interesting journey.  Well, no, actually we do that.  We meet people, we separate, lose contact with them.  We learn a skill, get a job, adopt a hobby  and forge interests that take us near and far, each experience interweaving into our identity.  Along the way, the joyous times, are interspersed with challenges.  Then there are those straight, monotonous stretches of indecision, seeking endless advice from others.  Yet everyone is on the road alone, responsible for the route they take.
     As a human being, we have the sense of free will, but we become confused and worried about the unknown- that which we think we have no control over.  Mystical traditions state that choice only becomes apparent when we are unclear.  Decision making is intrinsically linked to our emotions.  On the one hand they recognize danger, but on the other, may also lead us astray- the ongoing struggle between our rational conscious and our intuitive subconscious.  Time reveals whether our decisions were "good" or bad" and who knows what's good or bad since that which is negative offers the opportunity for a greater benefit. 
     Those who feel unable to change, attach themselves to the carousel of their own fear, worry and doubt, moving up and down in the same place, reliving their regrets again and again.  They exhaust themselves physically, mentally and spiritually. Reminiscing about the past, fantasizing what might have been, should have been, they go around and around, always ending up in the same place they started.  Although it feels real, it's actually a matter of perspective-  the glass half full versus the glass half empty.
     There are no mistakes- only the ever-present opportunity to re-calibrate our direction.  When we understand this, we are able to see the meaning behind our actions and their repercussions. If we are feeling miserable, our life energy needs to be reinvested in a new choice.  In that decisive moment, we trade our current action (or inaction) for something that has purpose and joy, transforming the fear, anger, stress and depression into something more positive.
     Why not take a piece of paper and write on it everything you regret, everything you could have done differently or better.  Then write down your corresponding emotion to each remorse, how you felt about yourself and the people involved.  Then, go outside, find a fireproof pot and burn that piece of paper.  Allow the relief and joy to purge the old worn out feelings of regret.   You are now free to become the master of your own existence.

Patti Dolezal