Thinking About Choices

photo by Connor Bates

I saw this photo and it sparked a thread of thought.  Choices.  When given a choice which is better?  Coffee in a styrafoam cup or glass cup/mug?  Coffee in a styrafoam cup doesn't taste as good as coffee in a glass cup.  Why?  The glass cup is more than the coffee, it is representative of taking a moment, connecting either with friends or yourself.  Either way when you order coffee in a glass cup you are setting a priority that will affect your entire day.

My cousin had started turning off his cell phone when having lunch with people.  You immediately feel valued.  He is there to connect with you.  He can take 1 hour and have you as a priority.  I see so many people who interrupt phone calls (call waiting), meals and great conversation to answer their cell.  When did we stop caring about the person we are with, to connect to the person we are not with?  When did it become more important to be available to the masses rather than important to an individual?  How come we value our freedom so little that we stay shackeled to a phone?

When did we start valuing the quantity of friends we have over the quality of the friends we have?  I believe when the quantity becomes more important than the quality you lose sight of people's feelings.

I am faced with choices every day and when I look at my choices I try to do no harm.  I know, I am not always successful. But, I think when you start with "do no harm" you have a better chance of making the individual a priority...and that is what we all want to feel, that we are valued as individuals and that our choices reflect who we are and what we really value.