When my first grandchild was born, I looked at him and I immediately said, “He looks just like me.” Whenever we have newborn family members, we always look to see who they favor.
Our physical resemblance to our parents or other family members, is a result of genes passed down from generation to generation. My mother was an identical twin, but she and her sister, my Aunt Kathy, could not have been more different.
Their stories remind me of something that was said by Reverend T.D. Jakes, “When we are born, we look like our parents. When we die, we look like our choices.” Though this statement might be more a provoking metaphor rather than a scientifically proven statement, I believe it carries a deeper meaning about the impact our choices and actions have on our lives.
These two identical twins looked exactly alike at birth, but over time they began to look very different based on how they have lived their life. My late mother made some poor choices in her life and died a broken woman, while my Aunt Kathy is still living a comfortable life due to her choices in life.
The year 2017 is a year I will never forget. I went through a divorce and left a high-paying job because both were negatively affecting my health, my mindset, and my emotional wellbeing. I had to make some serious choices if I was ever going to move forward. My future and my self-esteem were at stake.
During this time, I had to take a good look at who I was, where I was going, and what I was going to do. I was either going to get better or become bitter. The choice was up to me. I chose to get better and because of that I am able to leave a positive legacy that my family and friends will remember when I am gone.
Life has a way of giving us warnings when we need to adjust something we are doing in our lives. It is important to listen and adhere to when we receive those warnings. Sometimes we must be willing to not only change some of our health habits such as nutrition or exercise, but we may also have to change some of the people we hang out with.
Everything or everyone that may seem good to us, may not be good for us. It is important for us to look at the choices we are making if we want to live a healthy, positive, and quality life. It has been said that if you want to see how someone’s future will look, just pay attention to who they hang out with today.
When I think about how I want to look like as l grow older, I am not trying to look like my daughter or younger women, but rather I want to grow older gracefully and hopefully be a woman who just looks good for her age. Again, I am not even referring to anything from a point of vanity, but rather what exudes from my inner most being.
I want to live a healthy lifestyle that shows kindness towards others and that shows I value the bodily temple God blessed me with. We cannot control how we look when we come into this world, but we can have a hand in how we will look when it is our time to go from this world to the next.
What are you doing concerning your choices, actions, and behaviors to ensure you will be proud of the way you look when you go to glory? Remember our choices have consequences and can significantly impact our journey and how we are remembered in the end. Is it time to take a look in the mirror?
Healing Without Hate: It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle. Pass it on.
Visit www.WendyGladney.com and www.forgivingforliving.org to learn more. Wendy is a life strategist, coach, consultant, author, and speaker.
