There has been so much noise about John McCain and his carefully architected departure this week. If you look at recent events with even half of a critical eye, you can see exactly what the man was at the end of his life. Not too much more to be said regarding the person. He did what he wanted, and got out of his life the fruit of all of his choices.

For the most part, there are few exceptions to this rule, barring some who have early deaths. Yet even an early passing may be a harbinger of choice, as much as anything else. We live in death’s shadow.

Within the context of a sea of choices made within a lifespan, it really is amazing, how setting a course for good, begins with the simple determination to aspire to those things which are what the world terms as being exemplars of Godliness. This is more important than we sometimes recognize, when we are under siege, beset by life’s storms and yes,  may be the case even during the good times. Possibly even especially then.

When my oldest son Josh was four years of age, he came and stood in front of me pretty much out of the blue one day. He said this.

“Dad,  I have figured it out. How life works. All of us come into this world, basically pretty good. The trick is in not letting the world change us too much as we go through it”.

I laughed. “Yea Josh. I suspect that is pretty right on.”

Seth Godin has this to say.

Then there is this. Says a lot.

Early on in my Photography and Cinematography careers, I was working as an assistant for a colleague. We were shooting some fashion. At the end of the shoot we were discussing current high end creatives and their work. I sort of scoffed at some of the work we were discussing. At the end of our conversation this is what I said.

“All of those people are doing poorer versions of great work that existed prior. I can do much better than that. So can you.”

This is what my friend and colleague said: “So go do it”.

And I did. Within a few years it was absolutely incredible what subjects I was given access to, and shot in stills and motion. People, places, events, subjects that most photographers  will never get the opportunity to work with.

Why?

It was a choice I made that very day, when my colleague encouraged me to do so.

Life really is that simple. The path this sure. Every choice matters.

If we are fortunate, we do not always get what we believe we deserve. We get what we earn. With that comes gratitude. On the wings of gratitude comes your salvation in this world.