April 11, 2012

• Difficulty Level: Easy

  I've become fascinated that most of us have never had to make a difficult decision. Yes, we've all made decisions that felt difficult at the time, but most likely those decisions had little more than a superficial impact on someone else. I am not sure if I can think of a more fortunate thing.

  Such good fortune is due to a large combination of good luck and privilege for most of us. Though neither will continue without break, I hope they do continue in abundance for everyone. I hope that we will never have to:

  • Decide where to hide from a lethal enemy
  • Make decisions of triage
  • Choose which child to feed today due to a lack of food
  • Pick the soldiers to be sent forth
  • Determine whether deep down Pluto is still a planet

  However, I do hope that most of us get to make some of the more pleasant difficult decisions that are of a lighter nature:

  • Whom to marry
  • What city to live in
  • What name to not give your child
  • What name to give your child
  • Which version of Monopoly to purchase

  I don't yearn to make difficult decisions, but thinking about their often long absences in life highlights how odd it is that we devote more than a fleeting moment of thought to lesser decisions. Hell, we often don't even have to make complex decisions. And keeping all of that in mind allows for simpler decision making, such as should I go to Brazil for a wedding? At first, I thought perhaps not. Then I remembered how often that choice never presents itself and how fortunate I am that it has been presented. So yes, I will go!

  Other recent decisions that I could have made in less than ten seconds but debated internally:

  • What color to play as in Settlers of Catan? (Red)
  • The number of nights we will spend in Brazil? (Eight)
  • Which flavor of Häagen-Daz ice cream to buy? (Vanilla)
  • What book to read next? (Blood Meridian)
  • Whether to make more popcorn? (YES)

  • 3:14 am
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