You would be hard pressed to find a sentence that represents the reality of our human condition better than this one. This has been the anthem for raising my kids. I promise if you ask them what advice I have given them, they will roll their eyes and quickly quote this back to you. Like it or not, it has been a compass for them in some important moments of choice.
I can't tell you where this quote comes from. It's certainly not mine. But, I have said it so much I am sure there are those out there that think it is. I actually first heard it used in a Stephen Covey training I attended (and later taught) in the 90s. From the first time I heard it, I knew it was a mantra that would serve me well in all the days to come.
It refers to that precious space that exists between stimulus and response. Some of the world's most effective people have learned that no matter what happens to them, they have a moment where they are blessed with the opportunity to choose how they would like to respond. As a Christian, if you apply the call to love God and love people to these moments, miraculous things can happen.
Unfortunately, in our world today, too many people are making no use of this space and instead are reacting to life by primal instinct. The consequences are pain, anger, betrayal, resentment and worse. Blindness to this wisdom has significantly contributed to the chasm that exists in politics, race relations and even our broken families.
But, it's not too late. It starts with the person reading this blog applying these words to their next life hurdle and it catches fire from these words being passed on friend to friend, co-worker to co-worker, parent to child. What will YOU choose to do?