A Matter of Choice

I am writing this for my own healing. I hope you too will find my words healing for you.
You see, if I am angry and upset, I have given my power away. So, selfishly I do forgiveness work - to take my power back. Funny thing is, I have no face or name for those I am angry with. They are not even aware I am angry with them. How could they be? They have never met me, never even seen me, and have never heard of me.
They are the drunk driver, the speeder, the tailgater, the reckless driver, the criminal, the drive-by shooter. Strangers, yet our lives are connected in so many ways. And to you I say - the choices you make do affect more people than you realize.
I'd liked to introduce you to a few of the people that your choice has affected.
There's Jim; the man scheduled to have his knee replacement surgery done. It was cancelled at 6:00 that morning because the doctors were using the operating rooms trying to save victims of a late night shooting? Did you think about the pain that Jim needlessly endured for the previous week because he couldn't use any pain medications leading up to the surgery? Did you think about Jim's children who had arranged to take time off work to fly here to help their mom and dad? Now they won't be around to help when Jim does get his time in surgery.
There's Janice and her husband Brian, whose car was hit by a drunk driver. Actually there's only Brian - my cousin Janice was killed. How many people were waiting for surgery and tests that got postponed due to that accident?There are thousands of people going through the torment of waiting for surgery. Torment either because they are waiting to find out if "IT" is cancer or because they are waiting to get the cancerous tumor removed. Knowing that the sooner the tumor is removed the better their chances will be and having to wait weeks to get into hospital for surgery. Do you know what it feels like knowing you have a cancerous tumor growing inside you?
The waiting to find out the diagnosis is sometimes harder to deal with than the diagnosis itself. The fear of the unknown consumes and paralyzes. First there is waiting for doctors appointments, then for tests, then for lab results, then for surgery, then for those lab results.
We wouldn't have to wait so long if there were no shooting victims, or reckless accident victims.
So, drivers - back off from the car ahead. Slow down. Don't drink and drive, don't do drugs and drive. Stop and take a rest when you are tired. Don't speed, don't run red lights, don't tailgate. Don't cut in and out trying to get ahead of everyone. Next time you do, check the rearview mirror at the next red light, chances are you will see 'everyone' sitting at the same red light with you. You didn't really get any further ahead, did you?
That brings me to the shootings. Accidents are just that - accidents. Sometimes they just happen no matter how careful we are. But the shootings are planned. YOU can control them. YOU can decide NOT to shoot. You have the power to change lives, more lives than just the victims.
Let's play "what if" for a moment! What if it was one of your family or friends waiting for an operation? What choice would you be making then?
And I haven't even touched on all the other reasons why people are waiting for surgery, like heart surgery for one.
And how about all the doctors, nurses, and other staff and their families. Did you think of them? Did you think of the staff and customers of the surrounding businesses and the trauma they and their families have to go through?
And if you think your actions don't affect you, maybe you should think again. Everyone is affected by the higher cost of medicine. Have you ever stopped to figure out how much money your choice has cost us? You, and the rest of us. Maybe you could think about that the next time you buy something - noticing the P.S.T. and G.S.T. The taxes we pay for the cost of police, for the cost of the medical system. Then there is the after care cost of the psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, office staff, and much more. Maybe you could think about it next time you complain about paying income tax or for your car insurance.
Then there is the cost of the legal system and keeping and feeding you in jail.
To everyone that reads this. Everyone is affected by your actions. Please think about the rest of us the next time you go to drive while drunk or drugged up, or drive recklessly, speed, run red lights, tailgate, or plan to shoot someone. You may never meet us directly but our lives are also in your hands. Be it waiting for surgery, or waiting for lab tests or paying higher taxes. No crime, no shootings, fewer accidents would lift a huge burden off the medical system. It would free up doctor's time, operating room time, lab time, nurse's time and much more. Wait lists could be non existent. People wouldn't suffer for so long, like Ralph who has been waiting in pain for 7 months for knee replacement surgery with no date booked yet.
We can change things. It's a matter of choice.
- You can choose not to drive if you have been drinking or using drugs.
- You can choose not to tailgate.
- You can choose not to speed.
- You can choose not to run a red light.
- You can choose not to shoot someone.
It's a choice. A series of choices throughout this life journey we are all on. Just like all the other choices we make for ourselves in life. There are better choices to handle the situations. There are healthier choices for all. Each and every choice each and every moment may directly affect you in the years to come.
So, if it is just a matter of choice - then I too have a choice. I can tightly hold onto you in frustration and anger or I can forgive you, bless you and release you. So for my own health and healing -
- I choose to forgive you.
- I choose to bless you.
- I choose to release you to your higher good.
In re reading these words I realize that I haven’t even mentioned the shootings of our children in schools by children. I hope these words reach out and touch the hearts of our precious young ones. If this piece speaks to just one person and saves just one life, then my prayers will have been answered. Thank you for the choices you make. God bless you.