Can it be harmful to wonder?
The concept is amazing. At least I think so. This has nothing to do with the movie, which I haven't seen but am familiar with the premise.
It brings out such intricate scenarios that play out in my mind. What if I hadn't been there at that time and what really happened wouldn't have? It's the butterfly effect that captures me. If I hadn't ended up under that car by not being at that very intersection on that very day, how would have life been different up until this point? I made a lot of decisions following that accident, some rash and thoughtless - spawned out of passion and anger. It boggles my mind to even wonder how my life would be different.
It's pointless, I know, thinking about the possible outcomes had one little thing been different. Not about being in the wrong place at the wrong time - but anything. Even the simple changing of words - a "yes" to a "no", "I will" to "I won't".
It's astounding how one tiny difference can change an entire course. Taking a different train, deciding to go somewhere at one time versus another.
Is there anything you, dear readers, wonder about? Wonder what could have been or could not have been due to a certain circumstance or choice? Maybe it was something as minute as something you said, to someone, at some point in time.
It's a shame we don't have the ability of true foresight. Not the simple extrapolation of events, as in not studying for an exam can result in a failing grade, but something more complicated and involved, such as, if I take this job over that one, or decide to go overseas, how will things really be different? If Chris Brown knew of the shitstorm, personal and professional, that would arise if he hit Rihanna, would he still have done it? Or is losing total control of one's bearings exempt from the power of foresight?
I always was a bit of a day dreamer.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sure, we all wonder about these things. I guess two big ones for me are what would my life be like right now if I chose to follow a different career path and what if I didn't meet Mike that summer of 2007.
ReplyDeleteBut you know, these thoughts don't really bother me because I'm happy with the way things turned out (so far). Although there are still other things that I would want to do, instead of teaching. I would love to go back to school for environmental studies. In the end, we can wonder about every little thing that happened in our life, but what good will it do?
I think people wonder about how things would have been different mostly when they have regrets.
I agree with Dina. Usually, people think about what their life would have been like had something happened/not happened when something is bothering them and are curious enough to acknowledge different fates. I mean, in your case Jenny, clearly getting hit by a car wasn't a good thing and that may be why you wonder if your life would be different had something horrible like that not happened to you. On the other hand, we can take decisions we made and be GLAD that we made them. The decision that Eddie and I made to stay together even though I was planning on spending four years away was the best decision of my life thus far and I don't even want to wonder what it would be like had we not met. Personally, I'm the type of person who believes in "If it aint broke, don't fix it." We live and we learn. Everyone has some kind of regrets, whether it's going to Binghamton for a year (me) or drinking that expired milk, but dwelling on them, in my opinion, isn't healthy.
ReplyDelete