Choices, Choices

I’m sitting here at the keyboard on a snowy, December Saturday morning thinking about how to fit everything in. There is much to do with decorating, various Christmas celebrations, along with other things. A week ago last Friday is an example. There were at least two places we could have been with our church Christmas banquet and a Court of Honor celebrating a young man from our Troop earning his Eagle Scout rank. We did settle on the Court of Honor. It is always a great time seeing these young men come to the end of a long journey to earn this coveted rank. You enjoy it as they bring family into the celebration and other people who have meant much to them.
Now it is time to make another choice… there are three places I could have been one day this past weekend and the choice was not easy. First there was a luncheon meeting of my dwarfism support group. These are a great bunch of ladies and I don’t really get to see much of them because of other commitments. I enjoy the camaraderie with them as we discuss the triumphs and challenges of living with our condition. The next is a meeting of my Wood Badge patrol for a Christmas celebration and time of encouragement. I decided on these two events as I still had to make cookies to serve after the children’s program at church. The third was our annual time of helping a family member decorate their house for the season. I could have tried for all three but it would be an incredible strain on time and effort. I’m not getting any younger and my body won’t take what it used to along with it seems there are more and more demands on time. The choices were made easier when the time of decorating was moved up a day. I still had another demand on that day!
It is all too easy to make these decisions very difficult by turning them every which way and worrying about people’s reactions. I have been guilty of this for most of my life. I don’t want to upset people so I try to please. The problem with this is you can not possibly please everyone. There is always someone who will disagree with what you decide. I am slowly and painfully coming to the conclusion you just have to make a decision and go with it. There are times people will just have to understand it is your life and you have to live it. This may sound kind of harsh, but you will drive yourself insane trying to go along with everyone’s wishes. I will try to start working on this concept, and it will most likely take awhile!!
Another choice made is we are heading for Tennessee for Christmas. This decision was a little easier as we are heading for Pat and Myla’s house. I am eager to see what Nashville looks like all dolled up for Christmas and if the street corners will still have people playing and singing their hearts out with their instrument cases open for any donations. It will certainly be warmer down there. We will have seen Tennessee in all four seasons. Best of all we will be spending some time with our dear loved ones. It will certainly add to the season being so different this year. Life keeps changing as the years go by and therefore the choices we make. It will be hard being away from the family here, for sure. I am relating more and more to my brothers decision to move closer to his family. God help all of us with our decisions!!