Americans are faced with an overwhelming number of choices on a daily basis. When you’re immersed in this culture it is, of course, normally assimilated into your life, and becomes a normal expectation. However, upon returning from the Race I’ve immediately noticed the way choice is present in the average American’s life at a level not seen in many other places in the world. One example: at the average place almost anywhere else in the world your soda choices are Coke, Fanta, or Sprite? That’s it. Maybe Diet Coke if you’re lucky, but it’s going to cost you significantly more for those chemicals.
There was an overwhelming number of restaurants to choose from for my first lunch out yesterday. After surviving the year with 2 tank tops in my pack, I opened my drawer to reveal tank tops in almost every color. I made it through the Race with 1 fleece, but hanging on the back of my door are 8 hoodies to choose from. I opened my “hot beverage” cupboard this morning and just stared trying to decide what to drink….coffee, chai tea, black tea, green tea, herbal tea (and this is nothing compared to the drink choices I had filling that cupboard before I left.) I don’t need all of this stuff. I spent the year with many of my choices either limited or made for me, but I’ve grown very okay with that. It brought a beautiful simplicity to life that enabled me to focus on things that I overlook normally as I’m trying to decide which shirt to wear, which tea to drink, and where to go for lunch.
