Every life is different; the only predictable pattern is that all of us experience a mix of joy and sadness, happiness and heartache—usually occurring unpredictably. No matter how carefully we plan, setbacks—large and small—can disrupt our plans. We settle into a good job, a relationship, a neighborhood, and then life surprises us.
Some time ago an elderly man passed away, and as his friends and loved ones looked back on his life, they wondered why he often seemed so angry. Then, while sorting through his personal belongings, his family found one of his work pay stubs from long ago. Across the top of it he had written, “The end of a good job with good pay! The start of anger and ‘Why me?’” The handwritten outburst seemed to connect some dots for them. He had been laid off from that job, and apparently he never really rebounded from that disappointment. For more than 30 years, he carried bitterness in his heart. As a result, he closed himself off to others, shutting out their light and love.
Some might say that layoff defined this man’s life, but that’s not entirely true. He is far from the only person who has ever suffered a setback like that. What defined this man’s life was what he chose to do about his unexpected disappointment.
Now, while being laid off is never easy, think how his life could have been happier if he had been able to see his layoff differently. What if he had sought help and support and moved forward with his life? Instead of asking, “Why me?” what if he had asked, “What can I learn from this? How might this disappointment help me become a better person?” He still would have felt pain, but a hopeful, positive approach to the future would have helped him heal and move on. Instead of being “the start of anger,” the day he was laid off could have been the start of a new opportunity and a wiser, happier, more compassionate life.
Everyone’s heartache and disappointment is different, but we all have one thing in common: the power to choose our response. We can’t choose whether or not we will be hurt, but we can choose whether or not we will heal. In fact, we might say that life is a never-ending series of moments to choose—each and every day—how we will respond to life’s pleasant and unpleasant surprises.
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November 1, 2020 Moments to Choose
Broadcast Number 4,755
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Conductors
Mack Wilberg
Ryan Murphy
Organist
Brian Mathias
Host
Lloyd Newell
When in Our Music God Is Glorified
Traditional hymn tune; arr. Emily Crocker
Consider the Lilies of the Field
Roger Hoffman; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
Finale Jubilante
Healey Willan
Down to the River to Pray
American folk hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
On a Clear Day, from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Burton Lane; arr. Arthur Harris
On Great Lone Hills
Jean Sibelius; arr. H. Alexander Matthews