Life brings Joy, Sadness, Achievement and Temptation. In the face of Joy, we smile and laugh; it feels so good. In the face of Sadness, we cry and withdraw into our shells; it feels so bad. When the day comes that we have to face Achievement, we choose to feel successful and we are motivated to keep striving towards new goals. However, when we are inevitably face to face with Temptation, we can choose to dance, to flirt, to blush or to succumb.

Temptation is a creature that makes us feel like we’re having fun…maybe even the time of our lives but strangely enough, Temptation also makes us feel guilty. We look around to see if anyone else is watching; we might even try to turn away and pretend like we don’t see Temptation. It is within that very sensitive moment that Temptation says, “Wait…reach out to me, touch me, hold me, but please don’t walk away…you will only return to me…let’s dance!”

SO WE DANCE!

Overcoming or leaving Temptation behind might mean grabbing your dancing partner, Temptation, by the hand, looking into his eyes, her eyes or its eyes and saying, “I know who you are and what you are trying to do but I choose to be stronger than you. Today, I choose Me.”

Never allow fear to choose what is best for you. My mother used to say, “Always choose what you know is right because when you choose what YOU know to be right, then you will never have to fear the PROBLEMS that lie ahead or might arise later.”

When we make the mental choice to leave Temptation on the dance floor alone; we have chosen to walk away with our heads high, our integrity intact and with a sigh of relief on our breaths.

—Daphne Knox McClain