Every single day is made up of millions of choices. Some of these choices we aren’t even conscience of anymore, it’s just become habit. Do you want to turn your alarm off and sleep for a few more minutes? Do you want to wake up and be productive? What should you wear? Should you take the highway or the long way to work? Do you want to eat breakfast at home or on the go? Left or right? Yes or no? Some choices are a little more complicated: Should I go on this date? Should I break up with him, or make it work? Should I tell him I love him? Should we get married? Should we have children? Every single day we are faced with so many choices, but how are we supposed to be sure we’re making the right choice?
I’ll tell you: We aren’t supposed to be sure.
Here’s the secret about making choices - we will never be totally sure if we are doing the right thing, but we must live with the things we choose. We make a life for ourselves by the choices we make every day, that’s a for sure thing. The thing about choices though, is that they are so unsettling. Especially big choices.
College for example: I wanted to go to the University of Texas for my entire life. My heart was dead set on it. I was in the top five percent of my class, so I was automatically going to be accepted. I was ready for the big city - or so I thought. Then, I went on a tour of a little school located in Stephenville, America by the name of Tarleton State University. Every minute that passed on that tour, I fell more and more in love with the small town and tradition. I started to bleed purple the moment I stepped on campus. But my conscience is in the back of my head telling me- “Remember Austin? All the good times you were supposed to have? Come on. Get real.” Then my heart was there saying - “But...Tarleton…” I was so torn. But I made the snap decision and only applied to Tarleton. I made my choice, and I had no way of knowing whether I made the right decision back then. I know now that I wouldn’t have it any other way, but how the hell was I supposed to know back then?
What about love though? That’s way different.
I believe in God and I believe we end up where we are supposed to end up because it’s God’s will. We, as humans though, must choose to listen. Therefore, love is all about who we CHOOSE to be with, and let me tell you - it’s a terrifying decision. There are billions of people on this planet. Billions. Am I seriously supposed to believe there is only one person on this planet that I am compatible with? I do not believe that at all. I believe God intends for me to end up with a certain someone and I believe I found that someone. Remember though: that is my choice. He asked me to marry him and I said yes (yes or no, remember?). I feel sure, I feel positive, but there is no way for me to know absolutely. I said yes, I made a commitment. I will live (happily and drunk in love) with my choice, forever.
What I am saying here is this: it’s totally and completely alright to feel scared about the choices we make. When someone asks you, “Are you sure about this?” it is okay to say “Nope, no idea, but I’m going for it.” In the end, it’s your life and your choice. The choices we are most scared to make are usually the biggest and most life-changing, but we must decide. Whatever you choose, live with your choice and be happy that you had the right and freedom to make it. Remember this though: everybody feels scared when faced with a decision, everyone feels unsure.
