Life does not provide us with a "reset" button, nor are we able to call for a do-over as though we were kids on the playground. As best I can tell, we get one chance. Now, occasionally we are afforded a second opportunity, but that's not really the same as getting a chance to do it over.
I've had many relationships where I've dated someone, we broke up, and then got back together (hell, it was almost a monthly occurence with my HS girlfriend.) If it was my fault that we broke up, she's giving me a second opportunity to get it right, but we're both coming into it with hurt feelings and a history. It won't be the same...I can try harder to not make the same mistakes, but the relationship has changed.
Same with everything else. I didn't get a do-over with my marriage, but if I'm ever in that situation again, hopefully I'll avoid the mistakes I made and make the best of the next opportunity. Every day is another opportunity to teach my son something...some days, he learns something valuable, and other days he learns something I might rather he didn't. I will (hopefully) get an opportunity tomorrow to try again, but it's not a do-over...what's done is done.
This line of thinking isn't one that really makes things easier on me. I think it's generally a positive outlook to think that's there's always tomorrow, that there will be another chance. It's a bit more negative to think I've got one shot at something...screw this up, and it's done. I can try again, but the circumstances will be different, so it's not quite the same. Hopefully I'm smarter about it, but I've only got one chance to get it right the first time.
No comments:
Post a Comment