Last night my friend asked me for my Time Machine. He wanted to redeem his earlier life. I knew he was going through a rough phase in his life. I asked him the time in the past that he would like to go back to. College time he said, which reminded me of my college time. Indeed, what a carefree life it was. Full of energy and a world of dreams I was living in.
I wondered if I too would want to go back. I reflected on my life. There are so many things I can change, I thought. I could make better decisions and prevent myself from failing, getting hurt, and hurting others. What a perfect life would be then. But then would I be the same as what I am today?
If I didn’t have failures, could I taste the thrill of success? If I hadn’t experienced the heartbreaks, could I value the deep love connections as much? If I had not suffered pain and frustration could I cherish the blessings that came along? In a roller coaster without going down how can one go up?
That’s what life is made of, isn’t it? The ups and downs, a mixture of positive and negative events. Without experiencing the darkness how can one appreciate the light? What I am today is the result of all those mixed experiences. The imperfections, the follies, the mistakes I have done and learned from. Making mistakes is essential for learning and growth.
But you know what still hurts? When we hurt the people we love most. And that is one thing we always wish to undo, anyhow. How do we allow ourselves to be wrong to someone else? How do we accept ourselves when we could not do the right thing for the right people?
I have low times too, and the times when I don’t like myself. But I still choose not to give up on myself. I know I am not perfect. Every single morning I intend to become a better version of myself than yesterday. Having the dark sides of me help me see and connect with others- the not so bright side of others; because no one is all light.
If only I stop loving myself, what I can expect from others? As well, how difficult it would be then to love and have compassion for anyone else? To err is human. And embrace this experience makes us essentially human and creative.
If I go back in time and change those misfortunes that happened in my life, I might lose my fortunes too which came along. Life would be bland. I would be missing on the various shades of life.
Well, I didn’t have to give all this piece of wisdom to my friend. There are times when it is difficult to hold up, but I know he is strong and smart. He was just checking if I still have the time machine, which I do. Just in case someday that he likes to go on a ride in the past not to change anything, but to relive the good times once again.
I want to go back 2013