I Wish

I wish to turn back the clock and make everything right

I wish I could return to that point and fight not flight
I wish for the chance at the happiness that I had always longed for
I wish for a lighter baggage to fit through the proverbial door

I wish for the fear to vacate my soul
I wish for the ghosts to haunt me no more
I wish for the normalcy that others possess
I wish for the passion that would cause me to digress

I wish for a second try devoid of doubt
I wish for the opportunity to stand out
I wish to let the past rest in its grave
Or else my poor future I cannot save

Choice

A few months ago I chose to quit my job for a better opportunity. Unfortunately, that opportunity didn’t work out and I ended up being unemployed instead. For months I regretted my decision, convincing myself that I shouldn’t have taken the risk, that I was fine where I was.

My choice was based on a foundation of stress, so maybe if I had pushed through it the result would have been different. But the truth is you can’t undo life-altering choices, because they are what make your life. The small daily unconscious choices, along with the monumental decisions, they make up the days we spend on this Earth. Sounds obvious doesn’t it. Yet quite often we forget the reasons behind our choices, because we’re blind to the effects they will have on our future.

Back to my example. At first I perceived my unemployment as a failure, but now I realize that it has been a true blessing. During this free time, unburdened by the stress of a full-time position, I was able to relax. I dedicated time to my hobbies, took care of my health, engaged in new activities, met different people and gained some perspective. In the end, it was my choice that brought me to where I am today and for the first time in almost a decade, I can honestly say I understand what it means to be calm.

Quote Me

In response to the Daily Post’s prompt “Quote Me”

Do you have a favorite quote that you return to again and again? What is it, and why does it move you?

“All’s Fair in Love and War”

This particular phrase has always stuck with me, because of how much it highlights the similarities between two acts fueled by passion. While war is inherently destructive and formidable, love too has often had the same effect. With love sometimes being a common motive for war, and therefore aiding in such destruction. But as a whole, I’m attracted to the initial juxtaposition that forces one to delve deeper in order to understand the similarities between two seemingly opposing concepts.

“There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.”

– William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

I love this quote because it sends a very clear message that is often forgotten. One needs to seize life’s chances when they come by, because what may seem like an obstacle can actually be an opportunity in disguise.