“One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
Oh, the choices we make.... how they shape our lives and express who we really are. Jackson and I have been thinking a lot lately of our past choices, and our future ones. We believe we have been guided in our choices, by God's design, from the beginning of our marriage.
September 1, 1998, Jackson and I were sitting in his barracks room when he suddenly asked, "Will you marry me?" Without hesitation I said, "Sure!" We had only had three dates, and had not even talked about marriage. Sometimes, you just know what the right path is going to be, you don't have to think about it. We were only 19 then, very young, I know. In most peoples eyes, too young. But it was our decision to make, and we had to live with the outcome. It's been almost 16 years since then, we complete each other. We had hard times, sure, because we were so young and inexperienced in life. But, we grew together in those experiences.
Together we made the choice to start a family, build a house, start college later in life. All these life altering decisions were made rather quickly. We didn't feel we had too much of a choice to make, it was what we were meant for, we felt it in our hearts. We went with our gut. With each of them, especially marrying young and building a house without a contractor, we took a lot of heat. There was always someone, to tell us that we were making the wrong choice, and that "they" wouldn't do it that way, or that it couldn't be done and we shouldn't even try. Most of the time it was out of fear, and love, that they would criticize our choices. When you live your life outside the box, it's scary, for yourself and for those that love you. For that I say, I am sorry our decisions worry you, thank you for loving us. It's our decision, we walk this path.
“Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyways.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
Our recent life choices have worried a few of those that love us. We chose to move to greener pastures, a 1,000 miles from home. We chose, for now, to homeschool our boys. And, most recently, we chose to learn to sail, in hopes of making a future circumnavigation. It's a future goal, we plan on working up to it. We understand it will come with consequences, both good and bad.
To those that care so much for us, and fear so much for us, that you are unable to speak kind words, please know that we will look before we leap. But we must leap, we chose to. Our path will not be the same as yours, or anyone else.We must go the path that was written for us.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!
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