God has granted us free will, a concept I often contemplate deeply. Is free will simply about choice? In a way, yes, but it's more than just deciding which road to take or which restaurant to visit. Free will encompasses making decisions between good and bad, right and wrong, moral and immoral. It's about evolving as a soul and navigating complex moral and ethical landscapes.

However, this reflection isn't solely about free will; it’s about the sheer volume of choices we face today. In my earlier days, options were minimal. There was often just one barber, one milkman, one cinema theater showing Tamil movies, and a handful of restaurants. Life was simpler with fewer choices.

Contrast that with today’s world, where choices are abundant and can be overwhelming. For instance, milk options include pasteurized, homogenized, low fat, high fat, and various brands. Choosing a product has become a time-consuming task. The same applies to sweets. You now have numerous sweet shops specializing in different treats, and finding the best one often requires visiting multiple places.

Even mundane decisions, like selecting a hairstyle, now involve a plethora of options: scissors or machine, long or short. Cars, once a luxury, have become a necessity with choices between brands, models, fuel types, and features. The variety of options can be daunting, and choosing the best deal from myriad dealers adds another layer of complexity.

The same multiplicity of choices applies to real estate, healthcare, and practically every aspect of life. We are inundated with options, and this abundance can sometimes lead to decision paralysis.

If given a boon by God, my wish would be to go back and relive my life with the wisdom I’ve gained, making better choices and evolving more effectively.

Continued in 134. Light In Darkness - Beyond Barriers -Part 1