Mistakes

Day 68. Mistakes.

There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go. Richard Bach: One.

Switching to another of his books, Richard gives another message about how we are the ones in charge of our own lives, our own destinies. It may seem otherwise, but we are truly masters of our own fate.

In 2006, after commuting 150 miles a day for work, a move from where I grew up and spent my adult life seemed a good idea. Not tied to the home we lived in, a fresh start in a place of our own was right. A few years to heal from losing Kathie and the grandson we'd never know, somewhere that everything didn't feel like her, smell like her, look like her.... she haunts me still, but back then I thought I could just move away from it. Ha, said life. That event moved me past things I wanted to get past, but struck me on another path full of potholes.

Shortly afterwards, Dave got hurt at work. So the entire financial burden fell on me. Which wasn't impossible, just unworkable. No money for any extras, we were stuck at home which led to plenty of misery. He was never happy after that, which didn't make my happiness easy. I believe happiness is flexible: what makes us happy one day might not the next. What we find pleasure in once, we may never again. The events in those few years cost us both. But the choice to get out of the financial burden was a blessing, and I'd be so screwed today if I was there alone.

Changing jobs in 2009 wasn't my choice really, but it worked out. Obamanomics still has the aviation industry on its knees, and as much as I miss it I wouldn't go back I don't think. The poor economy doesn't offer much promise, so I'll stick with what I have now. The events of 9-11 sent me down a different path nearly ten years later, but I don't regret it.

As a teen, I rebelled silently. I was a drinker at an early age, and did my share of experimentation later on. Still made straight A's, never missed school. All that taught me was that you can fake your way through anything. Another lesson for later on in life, when I needed to get through a couple memorial services I never planned on having.

These events, these steps in my life that I probably wouldn't have chosen to take, I'm sure of my involvement in all of them. There are things I could have done to affect them all, but I either did the wrong thing or did nothing. Did I learn from them? I sure hope so. Will I stop making mistakes that steer me off course? Probably not. All part of the human condition. But they all bring me to a place where I need to be. Right here, with you. Teaching you what I've learned along the way. That's the place I'm supposed to be,

Lesson Sixty Eight: Do you have moments in your life you know you should have made a different choice? Are there times you can look back on and know that had you done something different, your life might not be what it is now? Take time to learn from these events, realize that you made those choices with the knowledge of where you were headed, and know that where you are is okay. You chose the path after all, even if it was the most complicated one.

662 to go...

Thanks for all the clicks yesterday. I thought that was an important subject to talk about, and I'm glad you did, too.