What’s behind Curtain #1....

Adjustment Bureau

We watched a very interesting movie last night, Adjustment Bureau (starring Matt Damon), which was very thought provoking.  The concept was that everyone goes along in life on a formal, documented plan.  And if you intentionally or unintentionally veer from the plan, the Adjustment Bureau is right there to make the proper ‘adjustment’.  I won’t give too much away because I think it’s a good one to see.

In real life, how many times do we make decisions we’re not sure of?  Like, almost 100% of the time, right?  Yet we hear stories about someone who, at the last minute, changes flights to later find out the original flight was involved in a fiery crash.  Or we change jobs, thinking the grass is greener, only to find out we have moved completely out of the green pasture into a drab, paved lot.  We make a decision to take what’s behind Curtain #1, but then always wonder, “What if I had chosen Curtain #2…”  

I’m fascinated by how much of a plan we’re all following in our simple lives and how much power we have to change a plan that’s seemingly already set in motion.  16+ years ago, my mother changed her plan dramatically, by quitting her lifelong smoking addiction and becoming active.  15+ years ago, Scott changed his plan by also getting active, which started a healthy new zest for running.  I also took the ‘get active’ route and made a decision to return to school to complete the bachelor’s degree I had started but not finished so long ago.

I don’t know how long Mom would’ve lasted if she hadn’t quit smoking when she did.  I also don’t know how healthy (or not) Scott would be today, had he stayed complacent at his greater weight and unhealthy lifestyle.  I'll never know the job offers I didn’t get before I finally completed my bachelor’s and then my master’s degree.  I do know that questioning past decisions can lead to a paralyzing feeling, so I prefer to look back just long enough to try to learn something (anything!) from past decisions – good or bad.

Making any decision at least signifies a commitment to doing something, right?

So, which curtain do you think my Fall marathon training schedule is hiding behind??