What if I didn’t choose this college? What if I had never met my best friend? What if my parents never met? What if I was never born?
Everyone has their own “what ifs” they find asking themselves when the mind seems to wander. These “what ifs” are fun to think about at firs then, really hit you. The amount of “what ifs” are completely endless. These overwhelming personal questions can be as small as: “what if I had a sandwich today instead of salad?”, or something as intense as, “what if I wasn’t born in America and grew up in a different country?”. From the original question you ask yourself, the following fantasy of what your life could’ve been runs wild. In my experience, these "what ifs" can either be a fun conversation piece between friends, or completely tie you up in an imaginative world you’ve created.
These types of questions never fail to stagger my imagination. It causes my mind to wonder beyond the usual day to day thoughts and create another life I had the possibility of living. However, challenging the fate I have been given has never been a realistic option. Something like these “what ifs” are simply a fun and stress relieving mind game. The most mind-blowing part of having these questions is that in the moment of a decision, the overall outcome hasn't been viewed the same way it is in present. Simply made by the decisions in your life, wise or careless, the results have affected the life you’re living right now. Either way, the path we are each on now, has been a product of circumstance. So basically,everyday decisions made by you each have the opportunity of creating a different outcome. This meaning that one small or large choice you make each day can alter so many things in the future, that you don't even realize. With one decision or event being slightly altered, the life you're now living could've been different. Is your mind blown yet?
For me, my biggest decisions have always caused me to wonder if the these “what ifs” could've affected my current lifestyle. What if I decided to stay close to home for college? What if I decided Delaware wasn’t the school for me? What if I never met my roommate (and best friend) because I never attended Delaware? These kind of questions feed off of each other and end up with the final answer being unknown. This is simply because it didn’t happen and I won’t ever have the opportunity to make those certain choices again. This final consencus of the unknown, is certainly the most overwhelming and thrilling part when asking myself "what ifs".
I also find asking yourself “what ifs”, can allow you to really appreciate everything you have in your life. They help me to realize that even when things have been difficult, the complications will eventually be a thing of the past. They remind me that life will go on like it always does. This can be hard to keep in mind when everything seems to be crumbling in front of your eyes, but opening your mind to the other possibilities of what your life could’ve been can help you see how good you have it.
Overall, the "what ifs" in life shouldn't control how you live your life. These thoughts are meant to be reflected upon after analyzing what has already happened. So live in the moment and consider the "what ifs" later.
