How many times have you longed for the opportunity to go back to the beginning, right back where you started this journey through life? How many of us would dearly love to be able to erase the mistakes we've made, take different routes at every crossroad we encountered along the way, and alter the decisions that took us down the wrong path? How many times have any of you uttered those immortal words, 'if only'? Would you have tried for better grades at school, if only the other kids in the class would stop fooling around, and let you get on and study? Would you have applied for that job with prospects, instead of the dead end one you took, because you thought you weren't good enough.
You would have applied, if only your grades had been better! What about your first love, that one you never even dared to speak to, because you thought he or she was way out of your league? Do you ever wonder what became of them, and do you ever wonder, if only? The list of personal 'if only's' is never ending.
If only I hadn't had that extra drink, or tried that drug, or cheated in my marriage.
If only I hadn't lost my temper, or shouted at my kids.
If only I'd been born to different parents, or even if only I had parents, I'd be a different person today; I'd be a better person now.
"The trouble with human nature is, we define who we are by where we've been.
We can't seem to grasp that the end of the journey is where we really should be, where we should aim for.
We should only look back to learn from our mistakes, not to live in the past.
All our evil and wrongdoings are irrelevant compared to the love we are capable of.
We judge ourselves, and others by the good and bad we've done in the past.
In truth, if we are judged solely by our never ending capabilities, and the possibilities life brings to each and everyone of us, then our relationships with ourselves, and with others, will bring unlimited joy to all.
" Those words were sent to me by a long term prisoner, whose journey through life has often been difficult, lonely, and self destructive.
He chose to live the way he did, and by doing so forfeited the love of a good woman, and the respect of his two children.
After spending most of the last twenty four years behind bars, in various institutions, he has finally come to terms with the fact that we, as humans, are constantly being given opportunities to make amends for our wrongs.
He realises, as we all should, that mistakes are made.
Without making mistakes, we can never learn how to put things right.
Without loss, we can never hope to gain.
Without pain, we can never understand the meaning of true happiness.
Don't long for the chance to erase your past, it's who you are, warts and all.
It cannot be changed, no matter how hard we try.
Look forward to the future, and how you can you can make it the best life possible.
Most importantly, look forward to each and every day.
You would have applied, if only your grades had been better! What about your first love, that one you never even dared to speak to, because you thought he or she was way out of your league? Do you ever wonder what became of them, and do you ever wonder, if only? The list of personal 'if only's' is never ending.
If only I hadn't had that extra drink, or tried that drug, or cheated in my marriage.
If only I hadn't lost my temper, or shouted at my kids.
If only I'd been born to different parents, or even if only I had parents, I'd be a different person today; I'd be a better person now.
"The trouble with human nature is, we define who we are by where we've been.
We can't seem to grasp that the end of the journey is where we really should be, where we should aim for.
We should only look back to learn from our mistakes, not to live in the past.
All our evil and wrongdoings are irrelevant compared to the love we are capable of.
We judge ourselves, and others by the good and bad we've done in the past.
In truth, if we are judged solely by our never ending capabilities, and the possibilities life brings to each and everyone of us, then our relationships with ourselves, and with others, will bring unlimited joy to all.
" Those words were sent to me by a long term prisoner, whose journey through life has often been difficult, lonely, and self destructive.
He chose to live the way he did, and by doing so forfeited the love of a good woman, and the respect of his two children.
After spending most of the last twenty four years behind bars, in various institutions, he has finally come to terms with the fact that we, as humans, are constantly being given opportunities to make amends for our wrongs.
He realises, as we all should, that mistakes are made.
Without making mistakes, we can never learn how to put things right.
Without loss, we can never hope to gain.
Without pain, we can never understand the meaning of true happiness.
Don't long for the chance to erase your past, it's who you are, warts and all.
It cannot be changed, no matter how hard we try.
Look forward to the future, and how you can you can make it the best life possible.
Most importantly, look forward to each and every day.