All life is a choice

"All life is a choice, and that is a fact. Every act we do is a choice, conscious or unconscious. I put it to myself in this way: A successful life is a life where, on the whole, the choices are coordinate, leading to a definite end; an unsuccessful, the life where, on the whole, the choices are haphazard, leading to various and sometimes conflicting ends differing at different periods, or to different ends pursued simultaneously and therefore pulling against each other. Again, there may be no specific end in view at all, and people just go on living as chance and opportunity and passing inclination dictate. One can pursue happiness, success in a career, money, the arts, or one pursue God. I don't think one can pursue anything else very violently if one is really pursuing God - I suppose that is why people break off and become priests and religious.

Anyway, the great thing is to live at one's best whatever one is doing, and to get the right medium. Of course, I expect some people live most easily in the material world and like dealing with material things; comfort - that's their real object. 'Those were the days,' they say regretfully, remembering the fleshpots of Egypt at some particular period of their lives. Oh, well, we all have our fleshpots hidden away in a corner, I expect, so we need not be too critical of other people's. "

-- A Nun's Answer by A Carmelite Nun