With every decision we make there’s always – the other choice (the path not taken). And with the ‘other’ decision are people and things that we’ll miss. Sometimes our ‘what if’ seem to become, on retrospect, ‘ if only’. And let’s face it, sometimes the other decision may have been a better option. But… we really can’t afford to dwell on this, because, for whatever reason, we made the decision we did. Besides, the decision put us into situations that provided other kinds of discoveries, adventures, explorations…people.
Personally, I quite like ‘what if’ but only in the pre-decision phase. If what is can’t be redeemed, then idle speculations are just that – a waste of time and energy, we should be focused on what is. The other point to remember is that had we not made the decision we did, then we would have missed the people and things we are with now – both the positive and negative in both situations.
I realize the old saying that since you’ve made your bed, you have to sleep in it. Maybe… I know that focusing on the ‘other’ can be an interesting speculation you can indulge in during your spare time, but it truly accomplishes very little in dealing with your current reality. Find the redeemable components in your ‘current’ and if some of the ‘other’ options can be applied – why not? Improve the situation, don’t always function in the cement mindset. This may, may, prove to be your only option, if so, then work with it. If you can incorporate some freshness then try. Cement is only for those who are using it for unchangeables, never for the ‘what ifs’ in life.
In my world I tend to always be aware of what might happen with a different approach, even if I don’t pursue it. I neatly tuck them into my ‘what if and if only’ files because you just never know when a new or different decision might lead to even more important results. Einstein said, or at least it is attributed to him, that if you keep doing what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten… or something like that. This is true. And, in some cases, that isn’t all bad. But we were created to think and to see and to watch. We should always be aware of our ‘other’ choices.
