All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
– Gandalf (The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The life we live is a life of impact, and what we do matters. We are penning the pages of a story that began with the onset of our being, and it has been developing throughout our entire life. What role do we play in the narrative? What defines our character? These are the questions that matter, these are the questions that shape the foundation of who we are in this tale.

Do we act for good or evil, do we show empathy or apathy, do we live with courage or cowardice? Does wisdom guide our path, or do we let fear make us the fool? Are we the hero or villain? The answer is yes, because we have been all of this at some point in our lives. Even in the midst of being the wise and brave hero, we may find ourselves as the foolish coward. Even if we have found ourselves as the villain, we can still find the path to become the hero. 

The pages are filled with choices to be made, and the impact of those decisions will play out through as the narrative unfolds through our dialogues, actions, and interactions with others. Perseverance and endurance may tell tales of our victory, whereas foolishness may lament tales of defeat. We are the authors, so we can take the story where we want it to go, and our characters can be who we want them to be.

We are making an impact every day on our world, and in the lives of those we encounter; writing not only on the pages of our life, but also the stories taking place around us. 

We are connected. 

We have the power to control the narrative, we can choose to be intentional about the impact we make, and the marks we leave. Our story can be one that inspires others to write the best version of themselves.