To Choose Wisely

 We all sometimes face the dilemma of choosing the right option. It may happen in our exams, while selecting jewelry, making decisions, etc. To be honest, I’m one of those people—even in a simple yes-or-no question! However, we can prevent these mistakes to a great extent by evaluating our options.  

I like to explore all characters in dating games, where we can select every possible outcome. How great would it be if I could redo my past choices? It’s not that I regret my past, but imagining different results is pretty fun. And how can we forget about picking glittering jewelry or those hot, cool bikes? Ah! They are so hard to choose.  

When making choices, we can approach them in three different ways: Creatively, critically, and mentally.  

Creatively is where we engage with our dreams, using it as a platform to escape from harsh realities. These thoughts are poetically expressed by the author known as the "Wordsworth of America" in the last lines of the poem *Birches*:  

> "I’d like to get away from earth awhile  

> And then come back to it and begin over.  

> May no fate willfully misunderstand me  

> And half grant what I wish and snatch me away  

> Not to return. Earth’s the right place for love:  

> I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.  

> I’d like to go climbing a birch tree,  

> And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk  

> Toward heaven, till the tree could no more,  

> But dipped its top and set me down again.  

> That would be good both going and coming back.  

> One could do worse than be a swinger of birches."  

— *Robert Frost*  

The birch swinging here is used as a metaphor, symbolizing the writer's brief flights of fancy away from harsh realities. However, his desire is not to take a permanent retreat from Earth, but rather to energize himself before returning to face reality. The poet depends on reality in order to distinguish it from fantasy.  

Another example of making the right choice is the three wishes granted by the genie to Aladdin in the world-famous fairytale *Aladdin and the Magic Lamp*. If we were the lucky ones to receive such wondrous wishes, what would we ask for? Money, power, a ride, or true love? Oh, my bad! A genie can’t make someone fall in love, nor can it bring the dead back to life. Thus, making the right choice is just as tricky as choosing wisely from those three wishes.  

As we can see, the ability to make decisions is often seen as our inefficiency in choosing wisely. That doesn’t sound so good, does it? So what do we do? Well, as I mentioned earlier, we can check the possibilities of saying yes or no while also considering how our choices will affect us personally and as a whole. It is important to ensure that our decisions are significant and useful. This is what it means to think critically.  

The last step is mental preparation. Whatever our answer to a particular question, we must select the one that is best for us. Not only that, but we must also be prepared to take responsibility for the outcome. By doing this, everyone can develop the skill of making strong decisions, forming personal (but not isolated) opinions on almost all topics.  

While doing this, never forget to listen to your heart and choose what feels right. Even if you make the wrong choice, don’t feel bad about it—now that you are aware, you can tackle it easily. Moreover, you can share your experiences with others.  

Don’t worry if you are someone who takes the road less traveled, as in *"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood."* The courage to choose what is right adds to our portfolio of life experiences.

P. Riya, Assistant Professor of English, Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Kizhattoor, Perinthalmanna