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One of the coolest things about blogging is that we often receive inspiration from each other through the topics we share on our blogs. Something that someone might say will ignite something inside ourselves that causes us to share it on our own blogs.

Such as it was after I read an awesomely written post by Jayne, over at injaynesworld.

So thank you, Jayne…x

Last week Jayne shared an honest and thought-provoking post about looking back on her high school years; wondering what might have been had she lived it differently.

Her post sparked a feeling of deep reflection within me that I decided to elaborate more on my comment to her through this post.

It seems that Jayne and I had a similar high school experience – it bored the bejeezus out of us, therefore we were not the most serious of students. And I can only speak for myself, but I really didn't apply any effort to my studies. My only wish was to get through it as quickly as possible and then throw myself into the real world, where I knew I would acquire my own way of education by just living life and seeking it myself.

I think we have ALL looked back to particular time in our life, whether it be high school, a relationship or marriage we had, a friendship, or even a brief encounter we experienced, in which we now think, “God…if I could only do it over, I would have done it differently.”

But would we have?

That’s so easy to say to ourselves, but what we seem to forget is that we had a different awareness back then and didn’t know what we know now. But most importantly, I believe we needed those experiences back then because they are what transformed us into the people we are now.

We also seem to forget that during those experiences, many of our personal strengths and assets were being developed; regardless if we did it the 'correct' way because we did 'our' way.

We often reminisce and feel as though we took valuable time and wasted it by not doing what we should have done, and that our life might be so much different now had we done it some other way. But that’s because we frequently compare and judge ourselves against the manner and timing of how everyone else does things.

Yet I think we all learn differently, therefore we grow and blossom in our own manner and time.

Personally, I don’t believe in regrets or 'if I could only do it over.'

There is really no point in regretting or judging back then, there is just the present.

And the present is where the value lies.

I also believe that everything happens for a reason and the way it’s supposed to happen.

So if we can take what we learned back then and look at the valuable growth we achieved and then apply it to the present, then there is no need for regret because it was all part of our individual process.

Therefore, we should celebrate what we have become due to back then.

And yes, our lives probably would be different had we done it differently.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean better or easier.

We are all perfect just the way our life was.

And is.

Because we grew through it...

...and now here we are.

57 comments:

  1. I did reasonably well at school but I know I could have done so much better if I had worked just a little harder, I wish now that I had. Saying that, I do believe that our paths are preordained so I guess I would have still ended up with the life I have, which is good. :)

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  2. "but what we seem to forget is that we had a different awareness back then and didn’t know what we know now. But most importantly, I believe we needed those experiences back then because they are what transformed us into the people we are now. We also seem to forget that during those experiences, many of our personal strengths and assets were being developed; regardless if we did it the 'correct' way because we did 'our' way."

    Ya know - that really struck a chord with me - because there are A LOT of things I look back on and wished I could do differently - but if I had done them differently - I might not be who I am today. And I really like who I turned out to be.

    "So if we can take what we learned back then and look at the valuable growth we achieved and then apply it to the present, then there is no need for regret because it was all part of our individual process."

    Wow. I really needed to hear THAT.

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  3. Hi Ronnie,

    Provocative post, my friend! :)

    As you said:

    "Personally, I don’t believe in regrets or 'if I could only do it over."

    Same with me. One of my fav authors says something like this " you are in the perfect place". Even if we might NOT realize it, esp with the hard times or suffering.

    What ever we did or chose to do was right for us at that time. Even if the consequences were hard,painful or upsetting. It might be hard to think that the "junky" moments make us grow. We go away from them differently and carry whatever lessons we learned.

    I am with a hard moment right now but I know that it won't last forever.
    I will read Jayne's post in detail with pleasure when I have time this afternoon.

    Have a wonderful Monday, and I'll be seeing ya', my dear friend. xox

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  4. Great post, Ron! I am constantly playing the "what if...?" game until I reached a point where I have to remind myself that the past is over!

    I was thinking about my wish to rewrite history and, while there are many things I'd like to change, I realized that taking away many of the bad things would also mean I'd never meet a lot of good people.

    Bemoaning the past is such a waste of time because there's absolutely nothing you can do to change it. You're just killing your present...and you future.

    "And the present is where the value lies."

    Exactly! "What if" is a dead end street filled with heartache and regret. You have to get with the now and find whatever value you can.

    Excellent, job, buddy! You really got me thinking about things. Take care and have a great week!

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  5. "Personally, I don’t believe in regrets or 'if I could only do it over."



    I do so agree with you, Ron. I didn't do well at school because of frequent hospitalisation but I never regretted it because I was able to move on. In fact, looking back I probably achieved more without schooling. Experiences do change with the years and I have no regrets.


    Thank you for this post, it certainly gave food for thought. You're a gem... were you ever a counsellor?


    Happy Monday.

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  6. I think the only people who don't think they could have done better in high school are people with a 4.6 GPA! We're all slackers! But usually, we replaced study time with things that we valued and carry special memories for us. I'm always going to remember the hijinks with friends and have no need for knowing the battles of the Revolutionary War.

    That's my excuse!

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  7. That is so true Ron. I often reflect what I would have like to have done when I was younger and how my life would have been so different. Not because I didn't do justice to my life or education, but because we had no opportunities back then. No real career choices. No schooling after 15, unless you were financially well heeled, or a genius. Girls were pre-programmed to generally work either in a factory, shop or an office. They were not good value for money, because they would inevitably leave to have babies, therefore no thought went into their future. It was mapped out - marriage and babies.

    My 'looking back' is more of a 'If only I'd had the opportunities that are here now' kind of looking back. But, as you say. My life is what has made me who I am today and I'm quite happy with who I am and my life now. I would like to have been less soft in business though.

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  8. Beautiful post. It will come as no surprise to you, Ron, that I hold the very same position on the worthlessness of regrets! In fact, there are many periods of time in my life I could have done differently but why worry about that? I wouldn't go back for a do-over unless I was able to take my current perspective with me. And who knows? Maybe in another ten or twenty or forty years, I'll be in a completely different mind-set and would want to re-undo! After all, I am under no illusion that I'm maximally enlightened now.


    The areas of my life I might change have nothing to do with education. I actually loved school, and in grad school felt like I hit my stride in terms of doing just enough to succeed while maintaining some balance in my life. And even knowing I'd end up divorced, I can't say I wouldn't have gotten married because it gave me my children. I think instead, I'd take more chances and pass up fewer opportunities. But hell, that's easy to say - mostly, I think I've done the best I could. Good enough, anyway. When I do have a wave of sadness, it's not about regrets, and I really work on bringing myself back to the present, the only true moment I have.

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  9. Ron, I LOVE this post! And the funny thing about it is that I was talking with a girlfriend of mine this weekend about this very same subject. We can look back and believe that we would have done things differently, but as you shared, we didn't know then what we know now, so there is no point in regretting the choices we made back then. I too believe in everything having a purpose and being the way it supposed to be. As one of your other readers shared, I believe that our paths are preordained. My feeling is that if we live each moment and base our choices ON the moment, then we are following our destiny. Therefore all the choices we make are what's supposed to be.


    I will pass this post onto my girlfriend this week, so she can read your words.


    Thanks Ron, and have a wonderful week!

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  10. I doubt we'd do that much differently UNLESS we were able to carry what we know now and do it over. Regardless, we are where we are supposed to be right now...perhaps it took us longer or maybe we got here quicker by the choices we made...wow, we could get really deep with this!

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  11. Good morning Pearl~

    "Saying that, I do believe that our paths are preordained so I guess I would have still ended up with the life I have, which is good. :)"

    Exactly! And your life is perfect just the way it was/is lived. Sure, I could have been a MUCH better student had I applied myself more, but the way I was taught BORED me. I'm the kind of person who needs to research education and learn through trial and error. And if we look at formal education honestly, we still have to take it into the real world and learn through trial and error as well; regardless it being 'formal' training.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, m'dear! Have a lovely week!

    X

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  12. Hey there Meleah!

    "- but if I had done them differently - I might not be who I am today. And I really like who I turned out to be."



    Exactly. And I like who you turned out to be as well! :)


    I think so many of our strengths and assets are discovered and developed through 'back then' because that's where we discover WHO we are. We might not have done things the way everyone else did them, but we did it OUR way!


    Thanks for stopping by, girl! Have a faaaaaaabuous week!


    ((((((( You )))))))


    X

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  13. Bonjour Barb!

    "Same with me. One of my fav authors says something like this " you are in the perfect place". Even if we might NOT realize it, esp with the hard times or suffering."

    I LOVE that!!!!! And I believe it! And I especially believe it when it comes to the hard times or suffering because those are times when we grow the most.

    "What ever we did or chose to do was right for us at that time. Even if the consequences were hard,painful or upsetting. It might be hard to think that the "junky" moments make us grow. We go away from them differently and carry whatever lessons we learned."



    Amen! And looking back, we can SEE that, yet it's challenging to see while going through it. That's where trust and faith come in as to "it's happening for a reason."


    Yes, if you have some time this week, please visit Jayne's blog. She's an AWESOME writer and just an all-around COOL lady!


    Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a super week!


    (((((( You )))))


    X to you and D!

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  14. Hey there Rob!

    When I read your wonderful post last night, I thought it so ironic that I had planned THIS post for today because you and I were sorta on the same 'thought wave!!!"

    "I was thinking about my wish to rewrite history and, while there are many things I'd like to change, I realized that taking away many of the bad things would also mean I'd never meet a lot of good people."

    Exactly. And the bad things are/were the things that end up giving us the greatest rewards of growth.

    "Bemoaning the past is such a waste of time because there's absolutely nothing you can do to change it. You're just killing your present...and you future.

    What if" is a dead end street filled with heartache and regret. You have to get with the now and find whatever value you can."



    Couldn't have said it ANY better myself, Rob!!! And bemoaning the past, KEEPS us in the past. I think it's all about what we focus on.


    Thanks a bunch for stopping by, buddy. You ROCK!


    Have an EXCELLENT week!


    X

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  15. Gooooooood morning Valerie!

    "In fact, looking back I probably achieved more without schooling. Experiences do change with the years and I have no regrets."

    Good for you!!!! And everything that happened back then, made you into the AWESOME person you are now. And especially as a writer, I think it gave you a deeper connection to your NATURAL talent for words and expression, rather than a traditional education.

    I know for me, I didn't really connect to my natural talents until I got out of school.

    "....were you ever a counsellor?"



    No, but I may NEED one! HAHAHAHAHAHA!



    Thanks a bunch for stopping by, dear lady. Happy Monday and week to you!


    X

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  16. Good morning Bijoux!

    "I think the only people who don't think they could have done better in high school are people with a 4.6 GPA!"

    HAHAHAHAHA! Touche'!

    "But usually, we replaced study time with things that we valued and carry special memories for us."

    You're absolutely right about that because when I look back, that's what I see.

    "I'm always going to remember the hijinks with friends and have no need for knowing the battles of the Revolutionary War.

    That's my excuse!"



    Bwhahahahahaha! Amen! Same here!!!!


    Thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a super-duper week!


    X

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  17. Good morning Babs!

    Great point you brought up....

    ". Not because I didn't do justice to my life or education, but because we had no opportunities back then. No real career choices. No schooling after 15, unless you were financially well heeled, or a genius.

    It was mapped out - marriage and babies."

    You're right, back then the choices and perspective on women (as far as education or jobs) were limited, therefore the choices and opportunities were limited.

    "My life is what has made me who I am today and I'm quite happy with who I am and my life now. I would like to have been less soft in business though."



    Amen to you!!!! And even when it came being 'less soft' in business, that's something we learn as we go along. And it's funny because women who 'take charge' in business and are not soft are considering bitches. Yet, when a man is that way, it's considered perfectly OKAY and ACCEPTABLE.


    Which makes NO sense to me whatsoever.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have a wonderful week!


    X to you and Mo!


    P.S. I keep laughing thinking about you and Mo laughing in the video. OMG...I LOVED it!!!!

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  18. Thanks for the shout-out, my friend. Looks like we stirred up a whole pot of provocative thinking. Maybe we should take our act on the road. ;) Seriously, some very wise words here. And of course, you're right. Life has given me an amazing ride, and I really would not change the journey. As the song goes, "I gotta be me," and I always have. Maybe I'll have to look at those salad tongs differently from now on. Big hugs!

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  19. Helloooooo Secret Agent Woman!

    " I wouldn't go back for a do-over unless I was able to take my current perspective with me."

    Exactly! So worry about that?

    "Maybe in another ten or twenty or forty years, I'll be in a completely different mind-set and would want to re-undo! After all, I am under no illusion that I'm maximally enlightened now."

    *clapping*

    RIGHT ON!!!! You see, that's the thing. We keep on evolving all the time, so our perspectives keep changing and growing. And yes, we continue to become enlightened as well. Enlightenment is a journey. And I by no means feel as though "I've reached a max" as well.

    "And even knowing I'd end up divorced, I can't say I wouldn't have gotten married because it gave me my children. I think instead, I'd take more chances and pass up fewer opportunities."

    LOVE your attitude and outlook because taking more chances and passing up fewer opportunities is something you can actually change in the NOW. But as you shared, getting married gave you your wonderful children. And that's something you would never change.

    "I think I've done the best I could. Good enough, anyway. When I do have a wave of sadness, it's not about regrets, and I really work on bringing myself back to the present, the only true moment I have."



    Aaaaaaaaaamen! And that's something I too have to keep reminding myself....live in the present.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl! Have a FABU week!


    X

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  20. Hola Denise~

    "My feeling is that if we live each moment and base our choices ON the moment, then we are following our destiny. Therefore all the choices we make are what's supposed to be."



    *clapping*


    Exactly! Many people feel that believing in destiny is just a PASSIVE way of living life. But that is so untrue, because when you believe in destiny, you have to become SO aware of each moment; focusing on what's in front of you and making choices based on THAT, whether the choice seems unreasonable or not. You have to TRUST.


    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have a wonderful week!!


    X

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  21. Good morning Suzi!

    "I doubt we'd do that much differently UNLESS we were able to carry what we know now and do it over."

    Exactly! Which is my whole point - we weren't the same people back then. Yes, our life might be different had we made different choices, but that doesn't necessarily mean better.

    "Regardless, we are where we are supposed to be right now...perhaps it took us longer or maybe we got here quicker by the choices we made..."



    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!


    Always FAB to read your comments, Suzi. Thanks so much for stopping by and have a terrific week!


    X

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  22. Helloooooooooo Jayne!

    You are so welcome. And thank YOU because you stirred such wonderful inspiration with me.

    (((( You ))))

    "Looks like we stirred up a whole pot of provocative thinking. Maybe we should take our act on the road. ;)"

    HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, and we can call it the "Jayne and Ron Show" Perhaps "Ellen" will have us on her show!

    "Life has given me an amazing ride, and I really would not change the journey. As the song goes, "I gotta be me," and I always have. Maybe I'll have to look at those salad tongs differently from now on."



    *cheering*


    You ROCK, my friend!!!!!!!


    Have a super-duper week and thanks for stopping by!

    X

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  23. I believe we needed those experiences back then because they are what transformed us into the people we are now.


    Oh how true that is! It's so hard to accept that both the good and the bad experiences of life are necessary. If life was nothing but roses, we'd never appreciate their beauty because we'd have nothing to compare it to. Life must have some thorns to make us realize now precious those beautiful times are.

    But....if I had the chance to go back to high school....I'd need to take my 50+ year old brain with me! ;-) Great, thought-provoking post today!

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  24. Tara and I talk about this all the time, about how it took us so long to meet...how we "wasted time" stuck in relationships that fell apart...etc. But we have come to the conclusion that those experiences were necessary and helped shape the people we have become. If she and I hadn't suffered through unhappy marriages and horrid dating experiences, we might not have been as thankful for each other as we ultimately are. So, I agree with you completely: don't focus on things you wish you could change, but concentrate instead on how those experiences helped mold you into the person you are today.


    Unless, of course, you hate the person you are today. In that case, I got nothin' for you, pal...

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  25. Yes, I agree! Oh, but I have second guessed a couple things over the years too. I think that's natural, to do that sometimes. We just have to make sure that we don't dwell on those thoughts that creep in about what might have been. Everything we've done has brought us here. Go back and change one thing and everything after that changes. You're right, it doesn't mean things would be better or easier. For some, going back to make changes might seem appealing if they are going through a lot of difficulties, but there is a book I have, read too long ago to really share anything specific, but it's about starting now, today. Right where you are. Embracing the pain of life and developing a compassionate and loving heart.
    Since all we have is this moment, becoming mindful and being compassionate about ourselves and others supports better living. So starting today will change the future. Well, not supposed to think of the past or the future... the whole point to living in the moment, but you know what I mean about the future. I think. LOL

    Will try to get over to read Jayne's post soon. :)

    Have a great week! Wow, how about that rain this morning! So much for yard work.



    p.s. I seem to have to post as guest because I can't remember my Discus password. Sheesh, hope I wrote it down somewhere...

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  26. Lisa, I love, love, love what you shared here....

    "It's so hard to accept that both the good and the bad experiences of life are necessary. If life was nothing but roses, we'd never appreciate their beauty because we'd have nothing to compare it to. Life must have some thorns to make us realize now precious those beautiful times are."

    *clapping*

    You are spot on, my friend! Life must have thorns to make us realize how precious those beautiful times are. And even when I think back to certain times in my life that were really, really hard and challenging, I see at them as some of the most incredible times in my life because of what I learned through them.

    "But....if I had the chance to go back to high school....I'd need to take my 50+ year old brain with me! ;-)"

    HAHAHAHAHA! Meeee too! I actually feel smarter now than I did then because of all the life experiences I've had.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Lisa! Have a lovely week!

    X

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  27. Howdy Mark!

    "But we have come to the conclusion that those experiences were necessary and helped shape the people we have become. If she and I hadn't suffered through unhappy marriages and horrid dating experiences, we might not have been as thankful for each other as we ultimately are."

    BINGO! You nailed it! You needed THEN to appreciate the NOW.

    "don't focus on things you wish you could change, but concentrate instead on how those experiences helped mold you into the person you are today."

    Amen!

    I know that you and I feel very much the same on this topic. That everything happens as it should, and happens for a reason.

    "Unless, of course, you hate the person you are today. In that case, I got nothin' for you, pal..."



    Yup.


    Thanks a BUNCH for stopping by, buddy. Have a faaaaabulous week!


    X to you and Tara!

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  28. Hiya Mary!

    This is faaaaaaaaabulous.....

    "We just have to make sure that we don't dwell on those thoughts that creep in about what might have been. Everything we've done has brought us here. Go back and change one thing and everything after that changes."

    You are sooooooo right! If we DID change one thing, everything else would change as well; not giving us where we are today.

    " but there is a book I have, read too long ago to really share anything specific, but it's about starting now, today. Right where you are. Embracing the pain of life and developing a compassionate and loving heart."

    Yes, I may have read the same book by author, Eckhart Tolle, called, "The Power of Now." In it, he shares the same kind of teaching.

    "So starting today will change the future. Well, not supposed to think of the past or the future... the whole point to living in the moment, but you know what I mean about the future. I think. LOL"



    Yes, I do know what you mean :)


    You will love Jayne's voice because she's direct, honest and a very good writer!


    Thanks for stopping by, neighbor. Yes, can you believe this RAIN? Weird weather.


    Have a super week!
    X


    P.S whatever you did by posting as a guest actually worked better because for some reason, I could not get your comments to be pre-approved for publishing; even though you have an account. However, today (as posting as a guest) you're comment went through!

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  29. Great post, Ron! And the way you ended it with that photo was perfect!


    I believe as you. There is no point in regretting the choices we made in the past because changing them is not a guarantee that our life would be any better now. Sure, I've struggled with choices I made in the past, but when I look at how much they formed me into the person I am now, I see their value. Besides, life is not always rosey posey all the time. And if we didn't have struggles, I don't think we would understand the meaning of gratitude.


    I'm happy about who am and where my life has taken me. I honestly wouldn't change anything.


    Oh, except maybe my premature gray hair, heh, heh!

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  30. I confess I was one of those over-achievers back then. I had the idea that my parents would love me more if I brought home A's, that classmates would at least appreciate (and admire) me as smart, that getting into college was the escape valve I needed to survive. We all had our challenges, didn't we?
    While the idea of a do-over sounds tempting, I agree with you, Ron. I don't think many of us would seriously want to go back to any point in time and try to change history. The things that happened to us then, and our reaction to them, are what served to make us who we are today. Rather than wishing and harboring regrets, I think we're better off chalking the past up to what it was -- a learning experience -- and then moving forward!
    Happy Monday with a hug!

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  31. Hiya Matt!

    Thank you :)

    I took that photo so many months ago and hadn't really thought about how I wanted to use it until last night, when I posted this. I thought it was a great image that mirrored 'growth through tough experiences.'

    " Besides, life is not always rosey posey all the time. And if we didn't have struggles, I don't think we would understand the meaning of gratitude."

    Soooooooooooooo true, buddy! And as I shared in another comment that I left to another reader, whenever I look back on the really, really challenging chapters of my life, I truly see them now as some of the greatest chapters because they humbled me into noticing the things I have to be grateful for. Also, I feel stronger now because of them!

    "I'm happy about who am and where my life has taken me. I honestly wouldn't change anything."

    You GO, boy!!!

    And hey, I had premature gray hair as well. I started getting gray hair in my late 20's. But I was happy because I love gray hair.

    Have a super week, bud! And much thanks for stopping by!

    X

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  32. Hey there Debbie!

    "I had the idea that my parents would love me more if I brought home A's, that classmates would at least appreciate (and admire) me as smart, that getting into college was the escape valve I needed to survive."

    Yes, you are sooooooo right....we all had our challenges, didn't we? Yet as you shared, the things that happened to us then, and our reaction to them, are what served to make us who we are today.

    "Rather than wishing and harboring regrets, I think we're better off chalking the past up to what it was -- a learning experience -- and then moving forward!"

    *cheering*



    Amen! And besides, what makes us think that our life would be any better than it is now had we done it differently?


    Much thanks for stopping by, dear lady. Have a fantabulous week!

    (((((( You )))))


    X

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  33. Mo and I are often still giggling about things a week after they happened!

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  34. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


    You two are a RIOT! And as Kathy shared, you should have your own show!!!!!


    X to you both!

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  35. ron, i must say if i knew then what i know now, then yeah i would have done things differently. of course, we don't have the ability to look into the future, so at the time the decisions we made back then may have been the right ones. still i think if i could go back and change some things, i would. not a lot, i like who i am, but i obviously made some mistakes in the past and i just don't see the fruits of their labor but the opposite. would i be in a better position, i would like to think so, but one will never know.

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  36. Hey there V Girl!

    " i must say if i knew then what i know now, then yeah i would have done things differently. of course, we don't have the ability to look into the future, so at the time the decisions we made back then may have been the right ones."

    Sure, if we knew then what we know now. But like you shared, we can't see into the future so we made our choices based on what we knew at the time.

    " would i be in a better position, i would like to think so, but one will never know."

    Right, one will never know. We only have what's now.

    And just for the record, I like who you are too!!!!!

    You da' BOMB, girl!

    Thanks for stopping by, Val. Have a supa' week!

    X

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  37. Ron, I read this post at work this morning, but wanted to wait until I got home to respond. I couldn't agree with you more! Looking back I see several things I might have done differently had I known what I know now, but I didn't know then what I know now, so what's the point of regretting and wondering if my life would be better now?

    And even the choices I made that might not have been the wises ones, taught me something for the future. I learned something from them, so in they weren't really mistakes. They were, at best, a detour that took me somewhere else. And often a more interesting somewhere else.

    Therefore, we should celebrate what we have become due to back then

    I loved that, Ron!

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  38. Hey ho Robert!

    "I might have done differently had I known what I know now, but I didn't know then what I know now, so what's the point of regretting and wondering if my life would be better now?"

    Exactly!

    And I freakin' LOVE what you shared here....

    "They were, at best, a detour that took me somewhere else. And often a more interesting somewhere else."

    Robert, yes, I can't tell how many times I realized that myself. When I thought back to what could have been, compared to what actually happened....the somewhere else was so much more interesting!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy! Hope you had a super day at work. Have a splendid week!!!!!

    X

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  39. "Therefore, we should celebrate what we have become due to back then."

    I couldn't have said it better myself. But, for my money, I wouldn't mind going back in time to my Air Force days. Lemme tell ya, that was the time, my friend. That was the time.

    Great, look what you made me do. Now I'm reminiscing...

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  40. Hey there Herman!

    "But, for my money, I wouldn't mind going back in time to my Air Force days. Lemme tell ya, that was the time, my friend. That was the time."

    Oh, and I bet it was!!!!

    I kinda feel that way about my Disco days in the 70's!

    Those were the days!

    "Burn baby, burn...disco inferno!"

    Bwhahahahaahahaha!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have a FANTABULOUS week!

    X to you, Karin, and Mr. Tyler!

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  41. I'm humming. LOL. It's what I do when the title and contents pick out pieces of a tune. Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention....so I won't. LOL. Except to say they brought me to HERE. You know me well enough by now...so many moments I could (and did) whine about. I'm a whiner. But I also know that "more was revealed" and I see them differently today. I'da been hard pressed at that moment in time, limited vision that I possessed, to recognize the good in the circumstances. But there's the joy of being human, eh? I get to kvetch AND celebrate the same circumstances. That being said, you'd think I'd know to shush and celebrate every circumstance! Yeah...notsomuch, as you well know. Perhaps that's the process that helps me remain humble...or perhaps it's just a huge glaring defect of character that's meant to be whittled away at, bit by bit. I prefer the first. LOL. For obvious reasons.
    Uh huh...I think I heard Him laugh, too.... :-/
    More practice! Guess I can't claim boredom!! LOLOL

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  42. I so adore this post. You are so right! I am a strong believer that
    everything happens for a reason. I think sometimes it is really hard to
    see the reason when things seem really bad and it looks like a terrible
    mistake was made but that eventually the reason will be clear to us.
    There is something in my life that I look back on every so often and
    always wonder what if it had happened differently? But you know what? If
    it had happened differently I wouldn't have the clarity I do now so I
    don't think the end result would have been any different. This is such
    an inspiring and uplifting post thank you for sharing it.

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  43. Helloooooooooooo Mel!!!!!

    Looooooooooooved your comment!!!! Adored your reference to the Sinatra song, "My Way" because you're right...you did it YOUR way!

    I actually should have had that song at the end of this post!

    And you're spot on, dear lady. They brought you to HERE!

    " But I also know that "more was revealed" and I see them differently today. I'da been hard pressed at that moment in time, limited vision that I possessed, to recognize the good in the circumstances. But there's the joy of being human, eh?"

    Exactly! We always recognize the GOOD until AFTER the fact. And that's what I mean about looking back and celebrating what we are NOW.

    Perfect, just the way are life IS.

    Then...brought us to NOW.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear lady. Have a super-duper week!

    (((((((((((((((((((((((( You ))))))))))))))))))))))))))

    X

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  44. Hey there Shae!

    "I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason."

    And as you can tell, I do too!

    "I think sometimes it is really hard to see the reason when things seem really bad and it looks like a terrible
    mistake was made but that eventually the reason will be clear to us."

    Absolutely. We can't POSSIBLE see the reasoning at first, no way. But as you shared, eventually the reason will be clear to us. I remember going through financial bankruptcy and not having any money to even EAT and being SCARED out of my mind. And on top of that, I was furious with myself because I thought I had made so many BAD choices that landing me into bankruptcy. It was a very dark time in my life. HOWEVER, I saw that I needed to go through that experience for a reason.

    And now when I look back (and I know this sounds ridiculous), I'm glad I went through that mess.

    "There is something in my life that I look back on every so often and always wonder what if it had happened differently? But you know what? If it had happened differently I wouldn't have the clarity I do now so I don't think the end result would have been any different."



    AMEN, girl!!!!!!!!!!!


    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing on this post. Have a faaaaaaaabulous week!


    X

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  45. Ron, I shared this post with my girlfriend today and she really enjoyed it. And wanted me to say, thank you!

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  46. Aw...thanks for stopping back and letting me know :) And please tell her she is very welcome!
    X

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  47. Ron, I went over to Jayne’s, read her post and left a
    comment there. Like you and her, I also was bored with school. I did get good grades; I was on the honor roll. But even that didn’t spark my interest. I wanted out and once I graduated, I didn’t look back. When people say they would go back, I cringe—I never wanted to back.

    There are times when I thought I wanted a “do-over” but then
    I realized those decisions or mistakes or whatever you want to call them made me who I am today. One tweak could set off a whole chain of different events and I could be completely different. I’m not sure I’d risk that. Yeah, there are some things in my past that aren’t very pleasant, but I learned a lot; grew a lot and like you said the present is where the value lies and I’m happy with who I am NOW. Because yesterday is gone, I’m living today—NOW.


    “Therefore, we should celebrate what we have become due to
    back then.”

    BRAVO! Yes, I think I will celebrate.

    Wonderful post, my friend!!

    And thank you for linking to Jayne.

    ((HUGS))

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  48. Helloooooooooo Pam!

    Yay! I am so glad that you went over to Jayne's and introduced yourself to her. She is SUCH a wonderful writer, as well as a really great lady. I think you will really enjoy her blog as well as she YOURS.

    She has also published a book.

    "I did get good grades; I was on the honor roll. But even that didn’t spark my interest."

    Good for you! I think it's awesome that even though your were bored, you still applied yourself and were on the HONOR ROLL!!!

    "One tweak could set off a whole chain of different events and I could be completely different. I’m not sure I’d risk that."

    Exactly!!!! So if we did go back and change our choices, we would NOT be the person we are today.

    " Yeah, there are some things in my past that aren’t very pleasant, but I learned a lot; grew a lot and like you said the present is where the value lies and I’m happy with who I am NOW. Because yesterday is gone, I’m living today—NOW."

    *clapping*

    See, you understand the VALUE of your past because you LEARNED something from it, regardless that it might not have been pleasant. And that's what my point of this post.

    We should celebrate what we have become DUE to back then.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Hope you're having FABU week!

    ((((((((((( You ))))))))))))))

    X

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  49. "Therefore, we should celebrate what we have become due to back then."
    That really made me think. I look at me then and now - I really don't know if my past in high school helped form who I am today - we are so different - the old me and the today me. But I see similarities... and ultimately our life experiences make us who we are. Very very interesting!

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  50. Helloooooooo Katherine!

    "I look at me then and now - I really don't know if my past in high school helped form who I am today - we are so different - the old me and the today me."

    Yes, that's it! So in effect, your past DID help form who you are today because it transformed you DIFFERENTLY.

    So celebrate the AWESOME lady that you are NOW.

    And as you shared, ultimately our life experiences make us who we are today.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend! Hope you're having a wonderful week! We're getting ready here for a TORNADO!!!!

    X

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  51. Yes, Denise, I got the email!

    Thanks!

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  52. I totally believe in the concept that everything happens the way it's supposed to.
    Stephen King's latest book, 11/22/63, is about a man who finds a doorway back to a certain point in time in the 50's. He can go back and forth whenever he wants. He decides to position himself so that he can prevent Kennedy's assassination. The upshot is that the more he tries to change history, the more difficult it becomes and in the end the worse things turn out.
    I had never read a Stephen King book before but I couldn't put this one down. It brought home the point that everything happens the way it's supposed to.

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  53. Hey Jen!

    Thank you sooooooooo much for sharing about the Stephen King book because it sounds faaaaaaaaabulous!!! LOVE the whole story line!

    "The upshot is that the more he tries to change history, the more difficult it becomes and in the end the worse things turn out."



    WOW!!!!!!


    See, everything DOES happen the way it's supposed to happen. I truly believe that.


    Again, thanks for sharing about the book!!!! And thanks for stopping by!


    Have a super weekend, girl!


    X

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