"Never Look Back!"

 

This showed up on Facebook this morning and I decided to "share" it on that platform.

It reminded me of a conversation I had with Ferne back in 1987 (or thereabouts) when out of the absolute blue, she asked me, "Do you ever stop to think about the exact moment when everything changed?" She gave an example, which I've forgotten. But here's one from our family:

If Sherry hadn't asked to play the flute when she was in second grade, she wouldn't have joined the marching band in high school and if she hadn't been in the marching band in high school, she wouldn't have gone to the college that she chose and since she met Chris as part of the college marching band, she wouldn't have married him. So her choice to play the flute at age 8 influenced her whole life (and mine!).

My friend John saw the graphic and commented, "Never look back!" I was surprised, because I hadn't been thinking in an "Oh, what if I hadn't . . ." kind of way but rather in a trace-the-blessing kind of a way. 

Like, what if Karen Carlson hadn't said to me, "Nancy, this is Joe!" back in June of 1963?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh my! How can you single out one. Every decision we make could have taken another route entirely. With regret of decision usually thinks that if only, things would have been better. But they could have been worse than the original. Looking back is only good if you are willing to rejoice in where God has led you. Just pondering on your thought. Dotti in CT
Barbara Anne said…
Yes, it's amazing to consider the 'what ifs' in a trace the blessings way. You've given me something to ponder in the coming days.

Hugs!
Nann said…
The better part of the gift is to be able to look back and realize/appreciate those life-course encounters -- as that day when you did, indeed, meet Joe! (I have learned that it is not particularly useful or helpful to speculate much about "what if the other thing.")
Millie said…
Like... what if I hadn't adopted Millie?

Quiltdivajulie said…
Or what if I had not worked the auditorium show on campus the night I met Larry?
Sue said…
You should go to YouTube and search for John Hartford’s song ”I Would Not Be Here If I Had Not Been There.”
Janet O. said…
I like the direction you took this thought. And now I want to look up the John Hartford song Sue mentioned. I've had many such moments in my life for which I can give thanks I was "there" so that now I am "here".