By Kern Carter
Once “Thoughts of a Fractured Soul” was published, I found myself having to answer that one vague question time and time again: what is your book about? It’s a tough question to answer especially when trying to describe a fictional novel, but one simple way I managed to respond was by saying it’s a book about decisions. Of course there are other themes, but the entire story can be connected by the decisions characters make and the outcome of those decisions. I thought about how that mimicked real life and how everyday we are forced to make decisions; some casual, some crucial, but all impacting our lives to some degree.
To acknowledge the theme of decisions in “Thoughts of a Fractured Soul,” I decided to have people submit stories about instances in their own lives when they had to make crucial decisions and how those decisions have shaped their lives today. The submissions have been amazing and I’m proud to share.
Keziah Myers
As I reflect on years of my life, I notice a consistent pattern that continues to help me grow and develop. This pattern has evolved over time, has been nurtured by my parents, and has taken me all over the world. The pattern or decision I continue to make is to always “take risks, chances and opportunities”. A few examples have altered the result of my life in a 360 degree way, and continue to build character resulting in personal growth and awesome experiences.”
When I was in 6th grade, I was given the opportunity to take a test to enter an accelerated French program. I must admit, I was coaxed into taking this opportunity, but it opened doors and led to more then I ever imagined. Being accepted I went into the extended French program, received a bilingual certificate.
In high school, I was given the opportunity to go away for school. I took the risk, left my friends and not only found myself, but learned responsibility, built a great network, and had the pleasure of gaining experience for a career I would have never imagined. University, living with roommates and being open to challenges opened doors in the music industry, putting me in a position today of running a record label, and having worked with some of the most brilliant names in Music and Entertainment.
When I left university I wanted to do a volunteer trip for two months, I extended my stay to six months, packed my stuff, and went to Burkina Faso on my own. It changed my perspective of the world, what matters, and the need for hope and love. This changed my way of daily living, my way of showing compassion, and internally changed my entire being.
Lastly, one day, at my marketing position, my CEO called me directly and asked if I wanted to move to NYC. With no hesitation I said yes, took the risk of moving to a new country alone at 23, an opportunity to be in the best marketplace for music. This completely altered my position in the music industry. I came back to Canada with more knowledge than my peers, excelling, helping artists, and eventually landing a position way beyond my wildest dreams.
So all in all I have taken risks and opportunities, and said “yes”. It’s not about fear, but about learning and believing that decisions can make or break you, so take the ones you fear most because it will probably provide you with the most growth!
Charles Agyemang
The one decision that came to mind when I was first thinking about your request was about my decision to attend the University of Guelph.
Although, that decision was one that had a major impact on the person I am today. I think the one decision that surpasses that decision was a decision I made to enter into the teaching profession.
The decision to become a teacher has changed my life dramatically. The students have taught me so much about how to treat others, finding good in everyone I encounter and of course patience.
I strongly believe in the statements you made about how our lives are filled with many decisions that shape the person we are today, and it is the values instilled in us from a young age that help us make these decisions. We can never really know whether one decision made was better than other possible options but we can only embrace what we have decided and make the best of it.
Anthony Soares
When Kern first asked me if I would be interested in writing about one crucial decision I’ve made my initial thought was “what could be easier?” But as I let the question sink in I began to struggle, not with the idea of identifying a crucial decision but selecting one. You see my brain has clearly misinterpreted Kerns proposal, instead of a crucial decision it has automatically searched for the most significant. Here’s where I began to think. If you break it down, every decision you make is crucial, you may not realize it at that moment, and they don’t all share same magnitude but nevertheless they’re all crucial. Your decision to sleep in that extra 20 minutes Monday morning and not prepare your lunch may very well translate into you having to make a trip down to the food court, where you interact with the women in line, who ends up being your future wife and mother of your children. A small example of how every decision is crucial whether it’s impact is immediate or delayed.
The crucial decision I decided to go with was one that was made out of immaturity and inexperience. While I currently found myself paying back a $30,000 debt I thought it would be a good idea to put that on hold and invest every single cent I had and didn’t have in more property. A decision that would later cause multiple sleepless nights as me and my mom scrambled to come with a sum of money that would prevent foreclosure on our condo. It’s also a decision that has yet to prove it’s worth as it’s still being built two years later…so close I can touch it, literally I can touch the building from where I sleep, figure that one out.
Kerry Carter
As I approached my senior year of high school, I was faced with one of the biggest decisions of my young life. I was blessed to have participated in various sports and have the opportunity to continue my pursuit of higher education through a full athletic scholarship. My choice came down to Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Stanford. Each school presented intriguing options that made this decision all the more important and that much harder. I took official visits to each institution and spent the weeks following my final visit replaying the moments that had left a lasting impression. I thought about the facilities, the conferences, the depth charts, the reputation of each program, both athletically and academically. I remembered the conversations I had with faculty, fans, alumni, and even down to the training and equipment staff.
When I finally sat back and just tried to listen to my heart, the one thing that stuck with me the most was one of the players at Stanford saying to me in passing, this isn’t just a four year decision, it’s a 40 year decision.
I didn’t understand at that moment what that really meant for me, but as I think about it today, after nine years of professional football, two years into my second career, I realize it was the best decision I would ever make.
Feature photo Decisions via Shutterstock