27 April, 2017

Life Twists

The biggest transforming incident of my life, I am convinced, was when I chucked it all and drove east at 25. I didn't know where I was headed, but I knew I wasn't happy where I was!

"Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love-life's DOA. 
It's like you're always stuck in 2nd gear. When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year..."


Sound familiar? Besides being the "Friends" theme song, that pretty well describes the way I felt at that time.

WHAT IF... I hadn't moved?
What if I let the fear tell me I needed a plan?
What if I had actually talked to someone - anyone - before taking the plunge? I doubt anyone in my life at the time would have encouraged such a foolhardy choice.

I was stuck living out other people's goals for me, trying to do "the right thing" with my life, and going nowhere. 
Afraid to get a real job, I kept working on campus and going to school.
My "relationship" if you can call such a one-sided business that, was truly DOA. 

I was going nowhere fast... stuck in second gear!

This "what if" is one that has occurred to me so many times:

If I... never moved to Pennsylvania, I wouldn't have been transferred to Delaware - my home for the longest time, and a place I truly love.
If I... never worked for a state park, I would never have seen an ad for an Environmental Studies degree and gone to Grad School.
If I... hadn't lived in Delaware, I probably wouldn't have been so open and honest on The Transformed Non-conformist blog, and Brett definitely wouldn't have been so fearless in flirting with me... 900 miles away! 
IF WE... never met... never married... my life would be much less colorful.

I doubt I would have done much. I wouldn't have realized what I really can do! I had to fend for myself for the first time, and I succeeded! When people tell me I'm strong, or confident, or independent, the biggest reason is because I forced myself to do it.

I will always encourage people to take the scary option. Don't say you are stuck. 
Don't ever say that or think it. 
Your perfect option may not be available, but there is ALWAYS an alternative.

So tell me, what is something that makes you wonder "what if..."

4 comments:

  1. WOW! You really took a chance and jumped into life with everything you had. Good for you! I often think what if "I hadn't married Richard. What if "I had listened to everyone tell me he was way too old for me"? What I would have missed out on would have been my soul mate, the greatest love story ever, and the best father to my two sons that one could have ever asked for. Sometimes we just have to take those risks! I'm glad I did! And I'm glad you did too!

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    1. I will always encourage people to take the plunge into the unknown. Of course, it was easy to do when I had nothing to lose!

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  2. I'm glad you did too. It's been a wild ride and I'm happy we can do it together.

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    1. What a long strange trip it's already been!

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I enjoy a good debate. Feel free to shake things up. Tell me I'm wrong. Ask me why I have such a weird opinion. ...or, just laugh and tell how this relates to you and your life.