Here I am sitting down to write a blog post at 8pm on a Sunday. Typically I would have had the post well written and posted by this time, but such is life right? As I talked about last week, plans do not always pan out exactly as we want them to. Sometimes our routines are mixed up and the unexpected comes to play. No matter how hard we try, some things just cannot be accommodated for. Now I could have gotten settled in for the night here and just blew off another post, but I did not want to do that. I wanted to sit down and write down my thoughts this week so I pushed forward, and even though this post will be going up late, it will still be going up.

So let's get into today's topic. I wanted to branch off of last week's post just a bit here and talk about why it can be a good thing when life takes an unexpected turn. This past week I saw a post online saying something along the lines of: If the person you were 5 years ago saw you today, what would they think? That post was unexpectant and so positive to me. To think of all I have accomplished in just those few years is pretty amazing to me. Back then I was working at a job that if I was still only making that pay I absolutely would not have been able to move into the new place I recently did. 5 years ago I did not write poetry at all and I have since had a piece published. I have gained a lot of mental and physical strength in that time as well and to think of what me 5 years ago would think if she saw me today is a pretty emotional thought to have.

I want you to sit and think of the same question to yourself. 5 years ago where were you in comparison to today? It is possible your situation is not drastically different, or perhaps you took a turn in a negative way since then. If that is the case think of the time that has passed. What got you to where you are today. What could you improve on? What can you change? I know I personally would go back and not let myself fly off the handle when it comes to my weight loss journey. I would go back and help myself change my bad habits earlier so I may not have had such a struggle last year when we were all social distancing. I would make more time for hobbies and things I love to do rather than just getting through day to day life. I think no matter how much you wish you could change in the past it is important to remember that it is never too late to make progress.

When I look at the time that has passed in my life it is a pretty beautiful thing. Sure I am getting older, but I am getting to see myself bloom as well as the people I love around me bloom. Friends are getting married and having beautiful babies. Others are moving on to new chapters of their lives, or maybe even returning to old habits they once lost sight of. We can never get time back all we can do is make the most out of what we have left. 

"If all time is eternally present. All time is unredeemable." -T.S. Elliot, Four Quartets

Do not dwell on the past, just be mindful of the fact that you from 5 years ago would likely be amazed a who you are today. If you did not make any big accomplishments in that time I think it is important to give yourself credit for the fact that you are still here. I said I wouldn't mention it again but think about the fact that you have lived over a year of a global pandemic, if anything the fact that you are here today, mentally and physically healthy after everything we have lived through in the past year is pretty darn amazing if you ask me, so do not be so hard on yourself. Remember that time is not infinite for us. We are only given so much of it in this lifetime. Do you want to sit around and dwell on what could have been? Or would you rather make the most out of it and be proud that you are here?