Our daily battle of choices made or obligations neglected impact us for far longer than we realize positively or negatively. There is a famous proverb about a tidal wave crashing into a distant coastline obliterating everything all because a butterfly flapped its wings half way around the earth.
I told some friends a story last night about my childhood babysitter, Mrs. Esther Reinke. She, Reinke, was our third grandmother. My memories of her are filled with laughter. She stayed with us when our parents went out for dinner or out of town and neither set of grandparents were available. I loved spending time with her in the kitchen when she cooked. The smells still waft in my memories. I still crave her smashed potatoes. She was also a wonderful baker who often brought us homemade cookies. Chocolate chip for Scott, Oatmeal Raisin for Mom, Snicker doodles for Dad, and Sugar Cookies for me. I kept the sugar cookies in the freezer just like my grandmothers kept their Blonde Brownies and Hello Dollies. Those frozen cookies dunked in a glass of ice cold milk were heaven. The milk made the cookies dissolve in my mouth. I haven't thought about this in a long time. Reinke loved my brother and I. Scott was a freshman in college when she died. I was in eighth grade. Mom and dad took me to visit Reinke at her nursing home the weekend before she passed. Reinke was lively, laughing, and happy to be alive. She had a heart of gold. I can't remember how old she was when she passed. Whatever her age, she died too young.
I made a solemn promise to never to eat another Sugar Cookie at Reinke's funeral. This was an historic moment were I addressed life with 20/20 foresight. Looking back seventeen years later that promise should have been all encompassing: all cookies, sweets, and desserts. The implicit power of 20/20 hindsight teaches us from our past transgressions. These jewels of wisdom help us approach life with 20/20 foresight. One of my New Year's resolutions this was to identify and eliminate the gateway actions that lead me on self-destructive paths’. Foods high in sugar -- check!
We are creatures imbrued with the divinity of free will. That decision then informed a path of action for me. I do not feel my choice to give up sugar cookies as anything more than sign of devotion to a special person in my life. Giving up all cookies and desserts would have been a healthier choice in the long run. Can you expect a thirteen year old kid to make that kind of sacrifice? Our actions, our choices (how we exercise this gift) will determine the ending we write for ourselves. I try to use the lessons learned in 20/20 hindsight to inform better decisions. Imagine a world where all decisions are made with 20/20 foresight. It is possible if you are willing to put the work toward the success. This is a theme we will explore at greater length in future essays.
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