A friend moved this weekend from an apartment to a house. She is settling in to her new place and loving the extra space. She has a couple of sons. Living in an apartment with sons is nerve wracking since they like to be active and make noise. Now they have room to play both inside and outside. I am so happy for them. That is a fun move and while it is tiring, it was a happy time for them. Now they are settling in, deciding where they want things to go and getting use to their new surroundings.

Another friend recently had her spouse moved to another facility. The time leading up to the move and move itself can be stressful. Her husband had to settle in to a new surrounding as well. Only a lot of the decision making is not his to make. Some handle that better than others.

Military people are amongst those who often are under authority of others and told when and what is expected of them. Again, some handle this better than others. Some thrive under conditions of knowing exactly what to expect, what they can and can’t do. Others hate it and want some freedom to make their own decisions.

In prison, how you adjust to all of that can make all the difference. The same is true for the families on the outside. When we go to visit, or communicate with them, there are guidelines we must follow. If we do not, our visits and rights can be terminated. I for one would much rather follow the rules and continue to have visits then push the envelope and in so doing be denied visits. We can say it is our right to dress as we please, talk as we please, etc., but when we are in their facility, we must comply or face the consequences. Our adjusting to their rules has an affect on the attitude of the one we are visiting. If we can’t comply he/she is denied our visit and left to wonder how they can do it on a stricter level day in and day out.
It is not all about us. Sometimes pushing our rights is, in fact, limiting them more. When we accept the rules we must follow, it can actually give us more freedom. We all know of rules that make no sense and that some of them are there because of an individual or small group who messed it up for everyone. Other rules are there to protect everyone. At any rate, it is what it is, and if we want to be happier, we must accept it.

Many things in life are like that. We can’t change everything we don’t like. Some things might be able to be modified, but others, need to be accepted for what they are. One thing we do have a choice on is how we live our lives and where we will spend eternity. The Bible says there is only one way to heaven and few there be that find it. That answer lies in the Person of Jesus Christ. He died so we can have eternal life. We can accept Him or reject Him.  Once again, the choice is ours.