There will never be peace in a world where so many struggle with their inner demons daily, jeopardizing their peace with every challenge they face.

No one is perfect; our lives are created based on the tightly woven micro-choices that make up the tapestry of our existence. Outside forces can amplify the burden of our struggles, yet we are faced with choices. Rare disease diagnosis? You can still choose to spread your wings and fly, or you can throw in the towel, in which case you’ve already met your demise. Financial issues? Perhaps you’re choosing your family over your career, a valiant choice. However, you can’t expect to keep up with your neighbor, who has all the things but never married or had children. Apples & oranges.

Every creative soul tells a story of struggling paycheck to paycheck just to pay bills while chasing their passions. They speak of how they are confronted with choices presented throughout their journey and the inner battle that comes with every choice.

I wish I could choose to be healthy and walk away from the financial burdens tethered to my chronic illness. I dream of resuming my career, advancing my education, and spontaneous travel. It’s a tempting choice, contingent on relinquishing all medical interventions. It would be an agonizing and short-lived adventure; without all of the medical treatments currently keeping me alive, my body would quickly shut down. I would not live long, and I am not yet willing to forsake a life filled with others who are in this struggle with me. These choices define my journey, and I’ll face the prospect of dying without sufficient funds for a burial before surrendering to my illness.

Every day I defy my illness, embracing all life’s offerings when able. From enduring an ear-torturing youth band concert for my loves to navigating the intricate medical preparation needed for travel. I’ll endure my injections, infusions, feeding tube, meds & catheters—the toll for living my best life alongside those who share in my journey. I have recently been blessed with another choice; a new out-of-the-box, hail-mary medical treatment, and its benefits have been life-changing! I risked everything on one choice, and its rewards are nothing short of life-changing. I’ve seen improvements in weight gain and daily mobility, enabling me to enjoy more travel and visits with family and friends. Even my writing is flowing, and all the words and grammar I thought I’d lost are coming back with infinite clarity! I’m tightly clinging to faith, trusting that these positive changes will persist; and although I will require perpetual medical interventions, I feel more hopeful than I have in decades.

The point is, that we all have choices, and each choice is intertwining with dozens of micro-choices. Opting for love and relationships over material possessions can be a challenging journey, while choosing financial security and possessions often leads to a lonely road. Choices aren’t inherently right or wrong, black or white, or universal for every person. Nevertheless, you will always face choices, and you must live with the consequences of decisions made. Every one of us has to forge our path. What works for one may not work for another. Choose wisely. Hold tight to the blessings some people would say are holding you back. When death comes, your cherished possessions will be dispersed, often sold or discarded. No one will be thinking about the times your piece-of-shit car broke down, or how you never finished your house due to a lack of money; instead, they’ll hold tight to your love. Share memories & forgive. In the end, the choices we make are the lasting legacies that will trump all material possessions. Choose wisely.