Sometimes you just have to order the lobster roll.

At times I am plagued with indecision simply because I fear not making the right decision. When indecision strikes, time is consumed while I macerate over the options. Would time be better served enjoying life? Definitely.

As my friend BC often tells me, “Kelly, sometimes you just have to order the lobster roll.” This great advice is based upon a story I related to him last year.

Two summers ago we went on a family vacation to Rhode Island. One day we spent time sightseeing in Newport. When it was time to find a place to each lunch, I got the idea to find a restaurant that served lobster rolls. This wasn’t too difficult to do in Newport, but I realized the one restaurant we chose charged a lot for it. I could not spend that much money on a sandwich regardless of what was stuffed between the two pieces of bread. I walked around to the other restaurants to see if any had a better price, but without any luck. We ended up eating at the restaurant we originally chose and I sat for a long time trying to decide what to do. It was not a matter of whether we could afford the lobster roll, because we could. I just couldn’t get past the price of the roll and felt I would not enjoy it knowing how much it cost. Everyone encouraged me to order it, but, in the end, I did not. It was still an enjoyable day, but internally I was struggling with this indecision over a sandwich.

When I feel myself slipping back to macerating over small decisions in life, I remind myself of this great Mark Twain quote:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Two years after the internal struggle over a lobster roll, I am now faced with making significant, life-changing decisions. I have to make decisions about visitation, custody, child support, how to split extraordinary medical expenses, holiday schedules, asset division, and more. There are moments when I sit quietly and think of all the decisions that must be made related to the divorce. It is simply overwhelming. And yes, I am fearful of making the wrong decision. Not just for me, but I could potentially make a bad decision for my children.

Looking back at the decision plaguing me two summers ago, I wish deciding whether to order a lobster roll was all that I had to worry about this summer. In these two years I have learned how trivial some decisions in life really are and, as my friend taught me, just go for it and don’t worry so much about the small decisions.

Yesterday I had an appointment with my lawyer. I walked out of the meeting feeling so weighted down with decisions I must make before mediation on Friday. I felt completely overwhelmed. I knew I needed a break from all the divorce details the rest of the day. Since I have learned something in these last few years, I did the only reasonable thing that I could do yesterday.

I ordered a lobster roll. And it was delicious.

Be in the moment.

Life is short.

Enjoy the experience.