The visual image from my walk past the Royal Theatre lingers. I could feel a sense of arbitrariness, of being forced within the way the building was lit. It was as if someone had made a choice, and consequently, I was having to live with the outcome of a decision I had no control or influence over.
With the day ahead still to unfold, I wonder what my lot will be. I would like to say that I am in control. It is easy to anticipate that there will be influences and interactions from all directions. The result, I am certain, will likely reflect that I will be a character in a larger story with many contributing authors.
I can feel the doubt stirring within, even as life reminds me of the following.
I have the freedom to choose what I will do in each moment. There will be consequences to my freedom. There will be outcomes that follow what I do. I hold the keys to my choices and actions. My character will reflect the story I choose to write.
What I do will reflect my heart. I can see the reflection revealed in the past. There is more to come. As I consider the options, I am reminded of a cautionary reminder that still resonates. “When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don’t eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.” (Romans 14.21)
My actions will create ripples for myself and others. My lot is not my own, it is a step towards a future shared with others. It is easy to assume that everything is already written. The good stuff is there, love, belonging, and recreation. The realisation of what it can be is left to me.
Today is my day to write a chapter in the story of my fate. My lot is mine to live.
