Choose Your Adventure

I don't honestly even know if they still make these, so I might be referencing something that my audience will be like... what?  But, when I was growing up, I had a favorite type of book that I would read.  I got addicted to them, and I would buy so many different ones.  They were called "choose your adventure" I believe.  You would read a bit of the book, and it would say something like... if you choose THIS option, go to page xx, and if you choose THAT option, go to page xxx.  It would weave in and out of different sections of the book based upon what you chose to do.  I loved those books, because they were never the same story twice, even if they were the same book.

Earlier, I watched an online counselor saying that you have the power of agency to change whatever is in your life.   Indeed, that has been my perspective that has aligned with my boundaries of late.  I can choose what I allow my self to do for someone and what I demand for myself.  No one else has the power to choose that for me or you.

Now.... it may piss some people off that they cannot control you or make you fit into a nice neat little box of which they approve.  But, I've never been very fond of those kind of boxes.I shared something the other day that said that protecting your peace may mean disappointing everyone else, and I think it probably will for many of your choices.  But, then, you are not choosing for them.  You CAN be the person that ends up choosing for them, and it is easy to fall into the trap of doing just that, but little by little you will end up losing yourself for those that would rather you bend so they don't lose THEIR self.  

But, here is the thing.  I don't need YOU to change to be who I am.  You don't need me to change in order to be yourself, unless part of who you are is someone that demands everyone around them to be like them.  If that is your mentality, personal freedoms become a threat, and ultimately you will end up rejecting everyone.. which is the theme of so many different stories out there.  People say, you do you.  It means, it doesn't change my freedom to be myself just to let you be yourself.  This didn't used to be such a controversial thing to say.  However, lately, the choice is not really control versus freedom but which flavor of control that you choose to accept.  I don't CHOOSE to agree with that.

So, I will end with a link to a movie segment that I will put into a new playlist that I will make, tonight.  It is from Demolition Man, and it is a guy talking about the value of freedom.  I hope you enjoy it, and check out my other playlists HERE.  But, here is the movie scene, as well.