Day 82: Choices

Choices:  1. The act of choosing; 2. The power, right, or liberty to choose; option. 3. One that is chosen. 4. A number or variety from which to choose;  5. The best or most preferable part; 6. Care in choosing; 7. An alternative.


On Thursday, my friend Rick and I biked 16 miles on the Paul Bunyan bike trail, launching our bikes in Nisswa, Minnesota.  My first long (for me) ride  in almost a year!  (I'm still sore!)  Along the sweet trail, there were beautiful wild flowers that kept capturing my attention, and I wanted to stop a number of times to take some pictures.  Each time, however, I also knew that I wanted to do this bike ride primarily for exercise -- really trying to push myself physically.  So to stop to take a picture would interfere with my first priority of exercise. A Choice. Which felt more important to me?   My exercise plan?  My opportunity for creativity/beauty?  I was torn each time I saw another beautiful flower. Should I stop?  Should I peddle on?  I did stop once, to take a picture of this cool wispy globe (my natural mandala for today).


As I was battling with my decision to choose strong exercise, or leisurely beauty/creativity, I thought (brilliantly), that I could give myself permission to stop to take photos on my way back to Nisswa on the trail.  Perfect!  So off I continued to peddle and sweat!


On the return ride, much to my dismay, I saw a man in a large tracker, all smiles and waves, mowing the grass along the trail, mowing down all of the pretty flowers of which I had intended to take pictures!  Oh boy.  What a funny metaphor for this life.  As you make one choice, you give up something else. These choices aren't always easy choices.  We feel torn.  We battle with ourselves about which is the RIGHT choice.  What if we miss out on something by choosing something else?  The photo of this wispy flower is also a perfect image for all that does not last.  Sometimes, if you don't choose now, you won't get a chance later.  This flower, like everything, is impermanent.  I will look to this mandala for a reminder to simply choose, and act now. This is all we have, and we can only really do one thing at a time if we are to be really present in the moment.  I can also use this mandala to remind myself that waiting for later may mean that I won't get the chance -  because later might not come.   Onward.