We all have choices.  Do not buy into the notion, by your belief system or beliefs of others, that your choices are limited or do not exist.  We may give away our personal power, and our highest possible outcome, if we stop looking for other possible choices.

A couple of weeks ago, I took a family trip to New Mexico.  We decided to go on a two hour horseback ride.  Although I do not like heights (horses can be pretty high off the ground!), I decided to challenge my fear.  After a short five minute lesson we started our ride.  After a while the guide asked us to have the horse trot, and then of course, the inevitable canter. We had been taught to relax and wrap our thighs around the horse to stay on the horse.   After fifteen minutes (seemed much longer) I was struggling with pain (almost cramping) in my thighs (wrapping my legs like a vise around the horse’s body).  Due to my physical discomfort, I was quite tense, hence I felt like I was riding in a car with absolutely no shocks.

I asked myself, am I going to suffer like this for another 90 minutes?  I was not enjoying myself.  It reminded me of doing 1000 push ups and I was only on number 20. This was not fun at all for me, although the others in the group seemed to be enjoying it.  I mentioned to the tour guide that I was not comfortable.  He told me I could either put up with the pain in my thighs (and not bounce around) or put up with the tough bouncy ride! 

I think the tour guide’s assumption was that my purpose of horseback riding was just to be with the group.  I did not buy into his notion that I only had two choices and had to choose one that he offered.  I told him I was not having fun and I would rather walk back (a third choice) than suffer.   Finally, I was escorted back to the stable by the guide’s assistant (fourth choice) while the others continued on their adventure.  I enjoyed the ride back tremendously, riding the horse at my own pace of a gentle walk.

In the context of Tending to Your Garden Within, we need to always keep the big picture in mind while we nurture our garden within.  We need to speak our truth without fear of disapproval by others.  A big lesson to remember is that there are multiple ways to get to an outcome and we need to be open to all solutions, remembering that suffering is not required.  The poem below conveys this concept further.

We Have Choices

We all have choices

even though we may not call them a choice.

A person hating his/her job has a choice.

He/she can quit the job and find another job.

A person unhappy with government has a choice.

He/she can express his/her opinion by voting regularly

and being more active by participating in the system.

A person feeling unheard or rejected in a relationship/marriage has a choice.

He/she can become vulnerable by speaking his/her heart’s desire.

A person that is “made” angry by an event has a choice.

He/she can change his/her thought pattern by reacting to events differently.

What issues in your life makes you think you have no choice?

Do not buy into the story

that you have no choices.

Copyright . 2011 by Shervin Hojat