We live in exciting times. Choices are plentiful, and expanding every day. Look around you. Everywhere there are potentials and possibilities. Take written communication for example. In the past, methods of creating and transporting written information from one point to another were somewhat limited. Books and letters were carefully penned and delivered by hand. Today, faxes, e-mail and digital file transfers make it possible to send legible written messages across an office or around the world in a matter of seconds.

In fact, transporting the written word has become so commonplace that instead of marveling at the ease of communication, we sometimes find ourselves irritated at the proliferation of junk mail, junk faxes and spam that scream for our attention in large type and bright colors.

Some would argue that we have too many choices available these days. Does anyone really need that many television channels? Or all those radio stations playing the same songs? Or hundreds of styles of blue jeans?

Still, this expanding circle of possibilities can be a blessing. In addition to the relative ease and comfort afforded us by some new inventions and conveniences, we are also being taught individually and collectively that we have decisions to make. It has become increasingly difficult in our ever-changing world for anyone to pretend that they don't have choices. "Paper or plastic?" "Smoking or Non-smoking?" Everywhere you turn, someone is asking you to make a decision.

Personally, I see this as a great spiritual gift being given to the people of our time. It is not so much that we need to reduce our options, as that we need to develop the quality of discernment. To know that one has alternatives, and to know that our decisions and indecision have an impact on our lives and the lives of others, is truly a wonderful gift.

I believe that it is becoming harder and harder for relatively healthy adults to play the role of victim. Again, I see this as a great gift.

With the abundance of information available at the push of a button or the turn of a page, it is nearly impossible to stay huddled within the tiny framework of our old boxes decrying our ignorance of larger ideas.

"I wasn't raised that way," may have been a plausible excuse a thousand years ago, but it just doesn't cut it anymore. The truth is, NONE OF US WERE RAISED THIS WAY. And what a blessing that is! We are all embarking on this new journey of self-discovery together! We are all learning and growing and healing and expanding in wonderful new ways. We can all encourage and love one another on this journey.

As we wade through the predictable doomsday drivel, let us remember to be thankful for the many, many opportunities we have. More than any other generation, we can pick and choose what we listen to, what we read, how we spend our time and what we feed our body, mind, emotions and spirit. We have equal access to words, music, images, foods and activities that uplift and expand us or those which could debase or depress us.

Let us rejoice in our options, and choose wisely, allowing the abundance available to us to enhance the quality of our lives and the lives of those we touch and those who will come after us. Let us employ our powers of decision to allow more good in the world. Let us utilize the information available to help us fine tune our ability to be still and listen to our own wise hearts; to learn to listen to and honor Nature, Spirit, ourselves and each other. Let us use our hands, our words and our lives to co-create beauty, love, joy and healing, and increase the amount of Light and Love on this planet.

Choices are everywhere! We can each, in our own unique way, make decisions which allow good to flow to us and through us. This is one of the gifts of being alive, here, now.

el '98