The Paradox of Decision-Making

"You create your own reality." This is not a spiritual adage, but an honest observation of life.

We all have free will to interprete our life. As we live and grow, these interpretations will be redefined many times based on our evolving perspectives and experiences. It is these interpretations - think of it as a movie highlight reels we select and edit - that give us a sense of meaning. And that would also reshape the reality we live in, as we would then attract or reject things or people in accordance to the meaning just prescribed.

As such, every choice we make in life doesn’t have a definite right or wrong. While the typical inner voice says "If I succeed, I can praise myself; if I fail, I can hold myself to harsh criticism." we can't be sure. Thus, you should not be too hard on your past self because that was a version of you who lived sincerely and did what was felt best at the time. The only burden you seem to carry are probably comparisons to others and guilt from past failures - based on the past meaning prescribed. It may be a life flawed based on your current interpretation, but it was definitely not a life in vain. 

Here's a poem crafted to express this paradox:

--

Maybe, Maybe

Every choice is a forked road—

right and wrong wear the same face. 

To hold on is courage, or maybe a chain.  

To walk away is bravery, or maybe a disgrace.  

Is it faith or delusion

that keeps me chasing for light?  

The map says forward, but the compass spins—  

am I striving for dawn, or maybe just fleeing the night?  

If I let go, will I soar—or maybe just fall?  

If I stay, am I strong—or maybe a wall?  

If I wait, is it patience—or maybe time turned to rust?  

If I push on, is it grit—or maybe distrust?  

If I flow with the tide, am I wise—or maybe small? 

If I reach out, do I uplift—or maybe enthrall? 

The wind and the wall both moan:  

"You’re wrong either way. You’re never enough."

The heart’s a flickering flame—  

it warms, but it burns just the same.  

The road won’t say where it goes.  

Every step’s a guess, half-blind.  

Is this hope… or maybe a lie I’ve designed?  

The answer’s always Maybe.  

The paradox? Maybe—that’s humanity!

The blog post is adapted from the book Life Has No Meaning Except for the Meaning You Give.