The Decision is MINE

RB - Sometimes I feel envious about my childhood because I didn’t have to make any decisions. It still seems like someone else should just tell me what to do … it would be so much easier that way. Then I realize it is EXACTLY like that already, with all kinds of sources trying to tell me what to do, and I know I really don’t want that.

Try just this one source … Watch a little television with a critical eye, and you might be astonished at how many decisions it is hoped you will make … buy this beer and you will be part of the “IN” crowd … this car will change your life in every conceivable positive way … this is the time to buy a house … this is the time to sue the company that made the product that made you think you might be sick … this politician will solve all your problems and fix all of America’s problems, too … this movie will help you escape reality for a little while and wouldn’t THAT be good … this fabulous kitchen appliance will make your already convenient and easy food preparation life even MORE convenient and easy … this shampoo will fix your dandruff problem and make you more attractive … this restaurant is the one you should eat at … this product will help your dog’s plaque go away, all without brushing … this or that product or service will seal your gutters and roof, let you sleep better, save you money on car and/or life insurance, fix your slow computer, slim your waist, give you fresh breath, reduce wrinkles, make you healthier, give you firm abs without exercise, let you see better in bright sunshine, keep the sun off your patio so it’s cooler, make your car’s engine run cleaner and with less friction, make your investments perform better, give you a better retirement, stop your feet from hurting, stop the pain, burning and itching, clear your sinuses, stop your allergies, make your insulin testing painless, stop food from sticking in the pan … if you would ONLY make the decision to spend your money on their stuff, support their cause or politician or vote for this but not that, etc.

Well, good thing someone knows what I want, since it obviously isn’t me … because I don’t want ANY of it. Somewhere along the way, I started to think for myself more … and more … until that is all I can do now … I’m just basically lazy about doing the research and analysis in order to make the decision … the deciding is easy once I have enough information and think about it.

And that’s the thing, really … isn’t it? All those sources don’t want you to THINK at all, or check things out for yourself … they just want you to believe them and do what they say will work best. We are under assault, all the time, by people who want us to trust them with our decisions, when they have done nothing to earn that trust. It seems more accurate to say they want us to continue to let them decide for us in spite of everything they have already done to betray our trust.

I know I’m lazy, but I still find the time and energy to think for myself, do the research, figure out what it means, and make the best decision I can with what I know up to that point. I reserve the right to change my mind if better information comes available. It just seems obvious that no one has my best interests at heart more than I do. It works for me.

Music this week is FANTASTIC Friday with Hannah Holbrook! Hannah is a singer-songwriter from the Fort Collins all-sisters group SHEL doing a solo performance
at Genoa. Indie/Pop/Rock from her voice and keyboard ... Hannah is a fabulous, extremely talented musician who will delight you with cover tunes and her own original songs ... she is an amazing person ... we are thrilled, and very fortunate, to have Hannah at Genoa on Friday ... one day of music this week, and it will be up close, personal, and basically like it was in your living room. FABULOUS!!