From a regional war on the other side of the world that has everyone on edge to yet another mass shooting to drought and wildfires, housing prices, homelessness, energy transitions, wage insecurity, automation, Covid, the internet, social media, interest rates, stock market volatility, Roe v. Wade, and now all the political bluster of yet another election cycle … I’m going to assume you’ve noticed that life is just a lot right now.

But then again let’s be realistic and honest with ourselves … when has it ever not been? And when will it ever not be?

I read an article this morning about a Mennonite community in Mexico living life without much connection to the outside world and, for the most part, feeling just fine about it. As I pondered the Mennonite way of life I realized that I’m glad there are still people groups like Mennonites in the world. Not that I’ve fallen for some over-romanticized vision of simplicity or plan to convert and go live off-grid. But I am grateful for their existence in one very real sense. The fact that there are groups like Mennonites and Amish in the world reminds me of my own power to choose my own adventure. They remind me that life, my life, your life, is not really about the big stuff. It’s not really about quantity—of wealth, or achievements, or information. No. Life, it turns out, is about the quality of all moments we have along the way.

I would never presume to tell you how to make the next moment—plugged in, unplugged, or otherwise. But I will remind you, like the Mennonites reminded me, that you still have the power to choose. My iPhone is sitting here just a few inches from me, by choice. How much attention I give it today and how much attention it demands of me, also ultimately my choice.

I would also never presume to tell you how what adventure to choose. There are billions of people in the world and billions of paths to follow. But I do feel confident in saying with some certainty that we all share at least one common truth—in the end, life is nothing more than the way we choose to spend our moments along the way.

The day now stretches before us, and with it many moments await. Plug in if you need to. Unplug if you need to. Just don’t forget that these next few moments, and all the ones after that, are yours to choose. I hope you choose to fill your moments with meaning.

Moment by moment, brick by brick, we all have the power to choose. I hope you choose to build yourself a beautiful life.