A Choice I Choose by Patty LaRoche

A Choice I Choose by Patty LaRoche

Dan’s wife, Sandy, told me that she never has seen her husband “not happy.” I could understand that if they had been married for one or two days, but eighteen years after saying, “I do,” my friend shared this with me.  I asked Dan how he did it.

“Why would I choose not to be happy?” he said.  “There’s always something to be happy about.”

Dave, my husband, and I have been around Dan and Sandy multiple times.  This past week, they flew here to Kansas to hang with us.  No matter what we were doing–touring, playing competitive games or having deep discussions–Dan was delightful.  And always, always happy.

Recently, while my cleaning lady was sharing some difficulties she is having, she said this: “Sometimes, I forget to be happy.”  Clearly, God is telling me something.

After all, happiness is a choice, so why would I ever opt for the alternative?  Maybe because there’s always a reason not to be happy.  Health.  Finances.  Shame.  Guilt.  The grumpy, selfish neighbor.  A friend’s betrayal.  A broken lawn mower.  Lost keys.  Weight gain. Boring retirement.

You get the picture.  Daily, we are given opportunities not to see the blessings amongst the difficulties, yet we fail to seek the good.   Serious stuff.

There is a story about an elderly man who immigrated to the United States from one of the Communist bloc countries of Eastern Europe. After his papers were processed he found his way to a New York cafeteria where he sat down and waited for someone to bring him a menu and take his order. No one came. Eventually a woman with a full tray of food approached, realized the old man’s dilemma, and explained how American cafeterias work.

“Start at the beginning,” she said kindly. “Look at all the choices that are available, decide what you want, and just reach out and take it. When you get to the end, you’ll be told how much you must pay for the things that you’ve chosen.”

After he had settled into his new home, he made this observation: “Life in America is a lot like that New York cafeteria. The options are endless, but you’ll never get what you want if you sit around and wait for someone to deliver it. Anything is possible (a job, education, a home, a car) but you have to be willing to get up and go after it. And in the end, you have to pay the price of your choices.”

I would add that these choices are not only about the material goods we acquire but also the attitudes and beliefs that dominate our thoughts. Psalm 144:15, although brief, tells us how to acquire that happiness: “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.” Just how do we make that happen?   “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

Someone once said, “Being happy doesn’t mean everything’s perfect.  It means you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.”  Our choice…and a choice I need to choose.

How about you?