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Last year I found a five-year journal I had begun on July 25, 1989, and kept up for three years. It wasn’t fancy – not at all like the ones you can buy now. It was a binder of loose-leaf paper. Each page was divided into five horizontal spaces and labeled with the years 1989 – 1993 in the margin.

For the past year I’ve occasionally picked it up to read those entries from more than 30 years ago and to write current information. Reading old journal entries evokes the memories of beach days with babies, family gatherings with grandparents, parties and pool days and many other little things thrown in between. Lately I’ve been looking at that journal as a summary of my decisions. I’m so glad I made those choices to make plans, leave the house, and build memories.

Now that I’ve at the bottom of each page, I must decide if I’ll continue. Do I want to buy more loose-leaf and a bigger binder?

Yes.

But that’s not my only decision. Daily I choose how I’ll use my time, the attitude I’ll embrace when facing challenges, the faith I’ll exercise during trying circumstances, and the grace and forgiveness I’ll exhibit when I’m disappointed in decisions made by others and myself.

I often ask myself this question, and the answer makes my decisions easier: A year from today, what will I wish I had done?

 

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.