Vince sent me this article this morning. This is truly worth the read. I told Vince it’s something we should start our day off reading every morning. The story about the fisherman and the investment banker is so true. I wonder how many people today retire or get near retirement age and look back, see what they gave up to get what they got and wonder if it was really worth it.
I’m not saying you can’t have a wonderfully successful career, and still have no regrets but I look at folks, even some of the decisions we’ve made now and wonder how things would have turned out if we had done this instead of that. I don’t think we have regrets but one decision we made that still haunts me just a bit . . when Vince changed jobs in 2006, he had an offer in Louisiana, just an hour north of my family and friends; or the job in Missouri. At first we said Louisiana, and then, after much soul searching, we both said “No! Let’s go to MO.”
On one hand, we would be closer to family and friends and foods that we love and rain and green grass and no grass burrs. But, in MO, Chad met Nicole and his friend, Bobby, who turned him on to hunting, fishing, and really I credit Bobby and his family with doing so much to get Chad on the track that made him who he is today.
Yes, if we had gone to Louisiana, Chad would have met someone else probably and I would like her but there’s no one else like Nicole!
One thing for sure . . hindsight is 20/20. I don’t look back and wish we had done things differently. It would be so easy for me to say “I wish we’d never left Missouri” but, as you know, I wouldn’t give anything for the time we’ve spent here. It’s been a dream come true for me. I told Vince when we first met that someday, I was going to have 40 acres, a big garden and chickens. It took me a while to get it, but we got it!
I suppose it’s a good place to be . . always thinking about change for the better but pretty darned happy where you are!
Sometimes just reading comments and getting to know some of my readers more than others, I love connecting with readers who are happy! Even when things happen and we have every right to be down and sad, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel . . unless we choose not to see it.
Denise Ramsay Porter says
Very true. Talking to a lady last night who said moving to our area was “her worst decision ever” and she wished she’d never left her previous home. So sad. Instead of looking for “roses among the thorns” everything (in her opinion) was weeds and a useless waste. Hard to know how to encourage someone like that!
Dottie says
So true……I NEVER wanted to move away from friends and family, but, a long time ago, life had us moving all over this great country. I used to be sad about where we moved until we moved and remembered the “good” things at the last place. I finally (after the 3rd move) decided to look at all the advantages of the “new” place. Bloom/grow where you’re planted became my new mantra. It was so much easier to see the good, as well as the bad with each move. And, it definitely helped my disposition to be more optimistic instead of pessimistic.
Joyce says
I don’t regret the decisions I’ve made, but I occasionally wonder how different my life might be had I made other choices. My normal train of thought is, “then I never would have met x,y,z, etc. and I might not have the hobbies I do now, etc.” It wouldn’t be bad, just different. It’s the whole “It’s a Wonderful Life” mentality! 🙂
Teri says
I thought that article was wonderful. I even passed it along to my friends
montanaclarks says
I used to say to Michael, “I wish I could eliminate that four years out of my life when I was married to…..” and he would say, “if you hadn’t been married to him, you would not have moved to Wyoming and we would not have met.” And, he’s right, I made some poor choices but it’s all worked out and I’m one of those happy people.
Pat says
We have moved 13 times and I have to say we were sad to move and leave nice people each times. We leaned with each move there are nice people everywhere. We have meet so many nice people some are now as close or closer as family. It is all in attitude. Look for the good in people.
Nelle Coursey says
So true. I am glad you chose Texas and Brownwood because I would never have met you. I am grateful for that! You have helped me so much in so many ways! You helped me through a very rough several months in 2017. Don’t know what I would have done without you and the group.
Cheryl Lorence says
In 1990 we made the hard decision to move from MO to OH for my husband‘s job. That move took us 800 miles from all our family and friends. I regret that our boys did not grow up near grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, BUT………had we not moved to Ohio, we would not have our daughters -in-law and our four grandchildren. As you say, there would have been others…but I can’t imagine life without these that I love so dearly. I firmly believe God placed us just where we we’re supposed to be.
poodlegirls says
When we moved to MN had a neighbor ask why would we ever move away from family and friends. This was already our 2nd trsnsfer. Of course my reply was it’s called a job! Then to Taiwan and then Texas. It was always sad to leave friends with every move and of course away from family. But we have friends all over that we would not have otherwise. We’ve had great experiences. Sure we could have made different choices, or Galen not accepting new job assignments but it has been an interesting ride so far. Would not change most of it.
Elle says
I am one of those people with very few regrets (and those few were things I said that I shouldn’t have). The choices we’ve made have made us who we are. At 57, our future is bright-looking forward to retirement and many more years together 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Sharon Downey says
We are lucky enough to feel we ended up where we were meant to be. When my husband retired from the service my parents offered us$10,000 to move to California. Mindful of the fact that we had a home in Kentucky that allowed us to raise a garden and help to feed our family and was in area we wanted to raise our family in and that my husband would be out of work for awhile while job hunting and that housing was costly in California, compared to Kentucky even in 1976 we turned them down. I know they wanted to be closer to grandchildren they hardly knew but it just felt wrong for us. Financially moving to California would have been very hard on us.
dezertsuz says
Oh, do I love your final sentence! That is so true, and how most of my life has been lived. Bloom where you’re planted. =)
Pat Anderson says
As a military wife for over 26 years, we moved over 23 times. I always taught our sons that you can be happy anywhere…there is good and bad no matter where you live and you can choose to enjoy the good or you can dwell on the bad. We had friends that were never happy no matter where they lived until they moved and looked back. I also think that all we can do is the best we know at the time…we make decisions and can look back and see “mistakes,” but we did the best we knew at the time. There is a Pennsylvania Dutch saying that I love…”Too soon oldt, too late smart!” Great post Judy!