Woulda…Coulda…Shoulda…

All of us have had moments in our lives that have defined us. They altered the trajectory or direction of your life from what you had thought it was going to be to what it currently is today.

Cases in Point:

#1 – I made a hasty decision, choosing Computer Science over Pre-Medicine during Freshmen Orientation at Middle Tennessee State University in 1982. (By the way, I changed my major 3 times – finally settling on Business Administration.) I think I did it due to fear. I had always wanted to be a Doctor…from the day I created a medical file with cardboard & string for our puppy when I was about 4 years old. I excelled at all of the math & science classes my high school offered. I absorb medical information, even to this day. I should be a well-seasoned, highly-respected physician right now. Shouldn’t I?

# 2 – I was engaged to my high school sweetheart. He was two years older than me. I believed he would graduate college first & be a basketball coach for two years, while I finished college. We would then get married, have children, and live “happily ever after.” Right?

Well, it appeared that the moment his college diploma hit his hands, he said, “I am ready to get married NOW…and have a son.”  I was stunned! “What about my goal of getting my degree? You know I’m a triplet & have a history of multiple births in my family. How can we make it…neither of us have jobs?” I asked. 

We eventually broke up…and within one year, he was married with a son on the way. I consider it to be “a timing thing…” I would be a wife & mother of a son, possibly more children…no degree…right now. Wouldn’t I?

#3 – I had been with my first company directly out of college. I moved up the career ladder from Call Center Representative…to Sales Account Executive…to Senior Account Executive…to Regional Product Specialist. I had done presentations to the entire corporation; to national associations; and to major clients. However, when the company realigned, I was offered to restart my 12-year career from entry-level or accept being laid off. I accepted the layoff. I now see, 17 years later, former colleagues – several that I had trained or consistently out-performed are Directors & V.P.’s. I could be a VP right now. Couldn’t I?

As I mature in wisdom, I now see that it is pointless to hold on to these “woulda-coulda-shoulda” feelings. The expression is actually an informal rendering of three conditions: would have, could have, and should have. These are considered subjunctive moods, because they imply possible or theoretical conditions, otherwise known as wishful thinking. http://www.wisegeek.org/what-does-woulda-coulda-shoulda-mean.htm

Life is complex…yet it is simple. When you choose to go left…you forfeit everything that consists with going right. Oftentimes, we waste so much time regretting what we may have missed by going right, that we miss out on the great things we have available while going left.

The Bible says in James 4:14 (NKJV): whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

I am where I am based on my thoughts, choices (or lack of making them), and actions. These same factors considered TODAY will determine my future.

We have to accept the past. “It Was What It Was.”

The fact that you are still here means that GOD still has a purpose for you. Now is the time to be still, learn, and fulfill whatever that purpose may be….