We all have times in life that bring us to “bridges” that tempt us with choices. We can dig deep into our strength and courage accounts, make a sizable withdrawal and walk away or we can set the bridge on fire! My earlier experiences with some of those “bridges” I chose to set on fire promised instant gratification. I would get to celebrate that rush of power and walk away knowing that I was the victor if only for a very minuscule moment of time. From my observations and personal experience, youth and immaturity are key factors in determining when to set the fire and minuscule moments in time aren’t realized for face value until much later.
As the years go by you tend to attain a sizable amount of “been there, done that” type mentality and you realize a bunch of really cool stuff. You learn that the most logical route to places you really need to be will lead you down several winding roads and a number of twists and turns that eventually lead you back to a place where a bridge once was. Fate steps in at this point. It knew it would see you here eventually and it takes the liberty of preparing for your arrival. You won’t go hungry once you reach this point as there is always “humble pie” available. It’s not quite as easy to digest as making withdrawals from your strength and courage accounts would have been earlier, before the fire, but at this point, it’s the only item available on your options menu.
Have you ever been there? Of course you have. Who hasn’t? I can recall several awkward times when I would wish, with every ounce of my being, that life had a rewind feature. A magical button, that when depressed, would give you the opportunity to un-light a match that would have otherwise burned an all important bridge.
One of my situations included an incredibly detailed text I constructed disclosing information regarding a certain situation and a certain someone I was upset with and I sent it to the wrong person. What was most awkward was the fact that I sent the incredibly detailed text to the person it was about! Once you realize a mistake like this your body feels as if it is going to burst into flames! This fire like sensation sweeps through your body like lightening. It’s followed by an increased heart rate and excessive sweating. Once you regain a small amount of composure you go back and re-read the message. Just as you have almost completely convinced yourself it wasn’t that bad you receive a text from the recipient. It reads, “I am pretty sure you didn’t mean to send this to me.” It’s an awkward feeling that forces you to muster up a ridiculous amount of composure and construct a witty response that will convince the recipient that you accidentally overdosed on Vitamin C and that you haven’t been yourself all morning or your phone is pulling random texts off the internet and sending them to everyone on your contact list or you admit your mistake. You talk to the only person you should be discussing your frustrations with and you mend a bridge rather than burn it.
It’s life. It’s lessons learned. It’s wisdom gained. These journeys happen for each and every one of us throughout our lifetime. Fate sets the table, regret pulls out the chair and you get to eat your very own humble pie. Sometimes the crust is burned. Sometimes it’s not. What ends up on your plate is and will always be up to you.