We are blessed to live in a place and time where freedom of choice is viewed as an “Inalienable Right” in the United States of America.  Election Day 2014 proved this to be true, once again, as millions of Americans went to the polls and expressed their views through their votes. Then they peacefully and purposefully returned to their daily activities and focused their attention on building a better life for their families and communities.

Sadly, this is still not the way it works in much of the World.  Anarchy, terror, hate and destruction are still out there.  I believe that with a more informed and “flatter world” (description courtesy of Thomas Friedman), things will continue to improve. It’s up to us to assure that they do and, meanwhile, to defend our freedom.

Beyond the politics, which is decidedly not the purpose of my blog, there is the issue of freedom of choice in our personal and professional lives.  We have that “right”, yet many don’t exercise it in the same way that they do their vote every couple of years.  We have many choices in front of us daily, including: what to read and believe, how to eat, whether to exercise, how to raise our children, who to marry, if we pursue and value education, where to work, what to buy and with whom we associate ourselves. Of all these things, perhaps the last has more influence than any other single thing, because who we choose to associate with very soon defines who we are and what we become as a result.

The wonderful thing about all of this lies in the three words “freedom of choice”. We have that power, each of us, and it’s there for us to harness to build the future that we desire. I’ve often said:  “If you don’t like your circumstances, change them.”  For many, that is easy to agree with, but hard to do.  Freedom of choice makes it possible.

Enjoy the journey!