Exercising Options

What we choose to choose

Journal: 24 September, 2024, early morning.

“Me, at 3AM, reading all 355 comments of two strangers arguing on Facebook.“

This was NOT me. I did not do this. Someone else said that. I just happened across their comment and thought it amusing.

In fact, I laughed out loud, reading it. You probably did too, at the ridiculousness of doing that. We make what appear to be such odd choices sometimes in how we spend the currency of our lives—time—out of all the possible choices out there.

I was reminded of a friend’s post of a few days ago which said simply “Don’t be an option.” And in remembering that admonition and thinking about it as I finished my second cup of coffee, I thought this:

In truth, we are all options, and the continuing exercise by others of our particular option is not guaranteed. What we really desire is the constancy of the ones we care about to keep exercising the option of remaining with us, to continue to wake up each day and choose us, again and again, over all other possible choices.

The other morning Henri woke me up at 1:37 AM. I chose to get up instead of trying to go back to sleep. In a larger sense, some time ago, I chose to live with Henri, despite the inconveniences of doing that, and I continue to choose him, every day. Even at 1:37 AM. I will always choose to exercise the option of living with him, for as long as that option is available to me.

Relationships, jobs, friendships, beliefs, where we live, the foods we eat, the music we listen to, the causes we support, our personal identities, our form of government—all are options, just as we ourselves are. Nothing is a sure thing, nothing is certain, nothing is guaranteed.

This segues neatly into living with hope in one hand and gratitude in the other. And acceptance, always, of the fragility of everything.

#journalingalife