This morning I asked a friend for a writing prompt, something for me to reflect upon and respond to. The above question is what he proposed. After reading his own response, and thinking about my own feelings about the topic, I say this:
The game of life has no reset button. I would not want it to. I am shaped by all of the things that have happened to me, no matter how small. I live my life with no regrets, only the knowledge that I can learn from all that I experience.
We all know how major events change who we become. I would like to think about how simple things change me as well. I am going to recall several simple events, and decide how they have affected me.
•1. Yesterday, I went to Home Depot looking for tiny samples of paint to try out on my house. Home Depot does not offer that service. So I get back in my car, drive to Lowes, it must have been them. I wait in line at the paint counter only to find that their sample machine is broken. The Impact: I learn to wait. I learn that the world is not going to fall apart because I can not sample the paint on that day. I go home and realize that there are many other tasks that need to be done, and I do not miss the paint.
•2. I pass a stranger in the parking lot who realizes I have dropped something out of my purse. With a smile, she walks across the lot to gather my grocery list and hand it back to me. The Impact: My faith in human kindness is renewed. I have made eye contact with a stranger, and shared a moment of kindness.
•3. Friday night I had a pizza dinner at my aunt's house. It was a very simple night, my grandparents and my mother were there. However, my life is made from a collection of nights like those. And that experience has given me very much strength in the fact that I know I am loved.
I would not reset anything. Not even the most painful experiences I have had. I can regret decisions, and recognize them as mistakes, but I never want to loose those memories. They keep me grounded, and keep me moving.
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