A while back, almost at the start of this blog, I talked about a place for setting goals for choice. And when it came down to it, understanding choice – consciously making choices, not having them thrust on me.

Mind you, that also came with the intention of getting good at cryptic crosswords and I still suck at those.

Along the way, I brought in the concepts of nous (street smarts) and the cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice).

Understanding Choice – good and bad

We all know that when we choose something, we exclude all other possibilities. If we’re good at making choices we might use something like the cardinal virtues to remind us what a “good” decision is.

I was recently reminded of this.

We went out to a restaurant that was one of our favourites up until it changed hands and the quality declined. Our overly salty meal wasn’t cheap, and it wasn’t tasty.

The next day, when I blew up like a big old water balloon, I started thinking about a load of other places we could have eaten instead. Places that, in general, are on the too salty side of the equation. Though in this instance may have been not only less salty but tastier too.

With just a little thought, a little further ahead, I could have chosen somewhere better to eat rather than leaving lunch to chance.

Choosing Wisely

That’s just a silly example, but in a way, that’s the point.

Living involves an ongoing series of small choices. Those random little choices made every day amount to big changes over time.

Perhaps it’s time to step back, take a deep breath and cultivate clarity, plan a better life journey, and learn to live in the now.