The “WHY” Behind the Choices We Make.
Every choice we make has a “WHY” supporting it. Think about that for a minute and you’ll realize the solid truth behind the statement. It doesn’t really matter whether it’s one of our most important decisions like adopting a child, or a frivolous one like ordering a fancy and expensive latte versus a regular cup of coffee. There’s always an explainable why behind every choice we make. Granted, there’s a lot more effort, research, and discussion that goes into the important ones (most times) than the frivolous ones. But our desire to justify our choices in our minds with a why is the only thing that allows us to continue to execute a choice and take action to pursue that decision.
Once the why is decided, it’s precisely what drives our actions related to each choice. The why has created logic behind our actions, and because humans prefer simplicity over complexity, having a logical why we can rely on to explain and justify our actions makes sense. Why’d you buy a truck? Why’d you move to a different home? Why’d you pick that movie to watch? Why’d you cook turkey on thanksgiving? Why’d you go to church? Why are you a member of Rotary? Why’d you read that book? Believing in the why allows us to explain every decision to ourselves, and to others. This goes on throughout our lifetime.
Back to the powerful impact the word why has on our decision making. Recently, my wife and I were asked if we would consider being the honorary chairs of the annual fundraiser “Jambalaya and Jazz” for Adoption Option, a local non-profit. My wife Kim and I became more sensitive to the life changing work they did when we added a fourth son to our family in 2010 when he was 5 years old. While we hadn’t engaged the services offered by Adoption Option at the time, we had a better understanding of the magnitude and value of the work they performed each day while working within the state’s foster care program in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
As we were brought up to speed on the current workload, programs, counseling, support, training, impact, and outcomes, our why for saying yes to Adoption Option was gaining great momentum. Then they informed us that their reach has grown from serving the Great Lakes Bay Region to serving communities from Alpena to the Metro Detroit area. Adoption Option is now providing services in 22 of 83 counties in the state of Michigan. When considering the thousands of lives that Adoption Option is having a direct positive impact on, we feel inspired to want to help them continue the work they do each day.
And it’s not just the people that find themselves part of the foster care system that benefit. It’s the people they’re surrounded with at work, where they live, and the schools they attend, and the current and future employers, and our society as a whole who benefits when the work of Adoption Option creates opportunities that wouldn’t have existed without their help and support. It’s that thought process that completed our why and had us enthusiastically embracing the opportunity to be the honorary chairs of this important source of “much needed” funding for the work being done by Adoption Option.
But what about YOU? For most of us, the foster care program exists silently in the background of our community. And we’re completely unaware of the miracle work being performed by organizations like Adoption Option. They counsel, instruct, and educate all the foster care program participants in how to create, and live in, a successful family environment. Think about that. Did you ever get any training in how to create and live in a successful family environment? Probably not because statistics show, if you’re reading this, you most likely grew up in a low drama, high expectation, loaded with love household which you’ve utilized to your advantage your entire life. Your upbringing formed the pattern that you embrace to be a loving and supportive spouse and parent. That’s not the way it currently is for the 10,000 children in our state’s foster care system and nearly 200 children who still need an adoptive family.
So, I’m asking you to form your own why on supporting Adoption Option today, right now. I’ve supplied plenty of different why’s because not everyone’s why is the same. Whichever why you find works best for you, you’ll know that you’re about to have a positive impact on dozens of children’s and parent’s lives. It’s your why that will make you smile as your head hits your pillow for the next several nights. You will have made a significant positive contribution to our society.
Yes, I’d be extremely and sincerely grateful if you’d join us at the Jambalaya and Jazz fundraising celebration including great food prepared for you by caring local restaurants and music performed by spirited musicians on Thursday, November 20th from 6pm -8:30pm at the Great Hall in Midland. You can pre-purchase tickets at: https://adoptionoptioninc.org/jambalayaandjazz/ or purchase tickets at the door or, after defining your own personal why, simply make a donation to support the life-changing positive outcomes that Adoption Option makes every day. I’d also like to encourage you to find your own personal why for the non-profits that may touch a special place in your personal heart. Whether it’s your time, talent, or treasure, any effort you make to support them makes a positive difference for all of us. If you can’t decide on one and want to support our community’s non-profits, you can help by supporting the United Way. Any support is a perfect way for you to experience the incredible joy that occurs when you take action and help others. Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!