The ship has sailed?

In life we're given choices; where to go to school, where to live, where to work, who to marry...endless choices.


We make our choices as best we can and then truck forward as the life-path that follows those choices is revealed. Sometimes regrets are inevitable, "Wow, I should have taken that job..." "Moving to Colorado was a bad choice..." etc. However, most of the time we move forward with our decisions, content with the path that results from our choices. However, occasionally someone or something pops up in the middle of our path that reminds us of the journey that could have ensued from making a different choice in regards to them/it. Sometimes they offer us a second chance to experience what's down the un-explored path. It's tempting, it's alluring to a curious soul...but is it and should it...be welcomed and experienced? Sometimes it's painful to re-live those thoughts. Sometimes it's a beautiful memory. What do you do when it's both? What do you do when you desperately want to experience what "could have been" but you also love the life-path your currently on? 


It's a hard question to answer. 
A question that I will probably always struggle with. 

This particular scenario reminds me of the movie "The Family Man." My friend Mindy reminded me of this movie today...and what a great movie it is. The IMDb synopsis reads: 

"A fast-lane investment broker, offered the opportunity to see how the other half lives, wakes up to find that his sports car and girlfriend have become a mini-van and wife." 

But it's more than that, really. It's a beautiful story about what could have been, about dreams un-shared and memories never revealed. The main character gets to experience life down another path...a path he previously ignored. It wasn't a life path as glamorous as his previous life...but it was filled with LOVE and a beautiful family. It's a story about examining what you want out of life, about what's important - it's a good reminder for me to do this in my own life. Of course, as Hollywood usually does, they wrap up the story with sparkles, bubbles and happy rainbows. Everyone lives happily ever after (or so they lead us to believe) and the audience is left with feelings of warm fuzzies inside. 

Part of me is so jealous of this fictional Hollywood character. I desperately want a glimpse down the unknown paths that lie ahead and the ones I left behind. I want to know the "What if's" and "What could have beens." I want to know if I made the right choice, or if I should have taken the non-logical path because it would have held...more. "More" not in terms of wordly gain...but "more" of something else. You know, happy stuff? 

Gah. My head is pounding. 

Why did Jesus give me a brain so capable of thinking? 

Sometimes I would rather think about easy things...like...say...puppies, or, clouds. 

*sigh*

I think at the end of the day though...

What gives me peace with the "what if's" and the "could-of-would-of-should-ofs" is the stark reality that the paths I take and the decisions I make...come complete with the peace only the savior can provide. I can't start thinking too much in terms of "Well I should have..." or "I wonder..." because I realize I'm right where I am...because I'm supposed to be here...because that's where Jesus put me. Although my current position may hold struggles or I may be tempted to daydream, think in terms of regrets or think only in the "what if's"...the resonating thought I'm left with is always "Be content in the NOW." Dreams and the "what if's" often aren't as lovely when they become reality. Often it's easier said than done though...

Each day holds choices...what are you going to chose today? 

Regrets and mistakes they're memories made, 

who would have known how bitter-sweet this would taste.

-Adele