The War We Deserve.....

The main topic that brought me into a state of contemplation came from a couple of quotes of Jean- Paul Sartre…. “We have the war we deserve” and “Thus I am this war...” I spent a lot of my free time deliberating this quote. Am I really the product of a series of my very own choices? Is it possible that nothing, outside of my own decisions, delivered me here to this place? In these circumstances? In this state of health? It was a remarkable idea to say the least. It couldn’t be true…..could it? Upon deeper rumination I began to believe that it is not only a possibility, but almost a certainty. When I examined that path that I have walked for the last thirty plus years I noticed different stages in my life that showed results from decisions that had been made either by myself or by my parents in the earliest stages of my life.  But at this point every decision I make I am solely culpable. During each stage I can see where the decisions of my parents, and me, led to experiences in my life. I have made thousands upon thousands of decisions in my life, and if I am honest I can look at the path that my life has carved through time and see where each of them have been influential in, if not directly, determining the course that moved me to the next decision. I can try and look at some events and say my choices had no relevance on a certain situation, that it was out of my control, but the truth is that there was a series of decisions that put me in that place, at that specific time…..Post reflection shows that when this questionable event took place I was exactly where I had decided to be. Could I control what happened at the moment? Probably not, but I had decided to be there non-the-less prior to the uncontrollable situation. Then I decided how to react and cope with what happened. So in short, “Thus I am this war…” or should I say that each and every one of us has “the war that we deserve?” We all are responsible for our lives. We cannot lay blame to our parents, our circumstances or our environments. If we are conscious beings, if we are capable of making decisions, then we are responsible for everything that happens to us. The flip side to this is that we also are capable of creating a world where we have the things that we truly want. It may take measures that seem tough or sacrifices that seem great, but in the end if it’s worth having it’s worth those things, right? Some people question my decisions, my choices, to give up some of my freedom and even bigger my income. They even take it as a reason to look down on me, but what they don’t realize is that I am determined to have more than I used to. I am not content with “getting by” or “settling.” I will have not only the war, but the rewards I deserve….not because of what others expect of me, but because of what I expect of myself. Think what you want, but in the end the only opinion that matters is the one I have of myself and likewise the same applies to you. Do you have what you deserve? If not, what is stopping you? Remember only you can live your life, so be sure your actually living it for “You.”