. . . often proceeded by a four letter word, only.
If only I had . . .
If only we could . . .
If only she was . . .
And then we clutter it by adding a different pronoun - he, she, they . . .
And then the phrase turns in to a discourse on regret. Regrets anyone?
Are there "if's" that turn out to be joyous?!
If I . . .
If we . . .
If she . . .
Regrets? Sure. If only I'd spoken up... if only I'd listened before speaking... if only I'd locked the door... Some of these I made the best decision I could at the time, so while I wish for something different, it's not really a regret. Others I look back knowing I'd ignored something significant, and those are definitely marked by regret.
ReplyDeleteAnd joys? Yep, those too. For example, some years ago, I was in a fulfilling job with great co-workers and students I enjoyed. I was happy there, but felt called in another direction. If I'd stayed in that good place, I wouldn't have had the challenges of the transition or of my current roles... and I would have missed pursuing this call. This is one of those difficult "if" decisions that I look back on with no regrets.