I knew this would be a challenge but I’m always up for a challenge. But then I began to think What If … Oh my brain and imagination were in a tussle.
I wrote this long essay of a major “what if” scenario in my life that veered a different way than I wanted or expected. But thinking about it, I realized I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. Any situation in my life I have been placed in has had a purpose. There have been plenty of wonderful things I have experienced but also many that evoked terror. At times I would wonder why me? Why do I have to go through this hellish experience? Now, as an older person,I have a little more perspective to see why not me.
My childhood was an at risk one. What if I had the perfect family? I know now know that the people who are brought into my life (mostly children) are from at risk environments. My training doesn’t come from a book and neither does the love. What if I hadn’t? That would mean I would have missed the opportunity to encourage some incredible people.
I grew up with an aunt who had Cerebral Palsy. What if I had lived at home with my mother? I have never looked at special needs people unusually. When I was a kid, I was jealous that my aunt had a cool wheelchair that I loved to ride in. I may never have spent the larger part of my life as an advocate for special needs children.
And here’s one more. What if I had never been homeless? That was an experience I assure you! At the time, I was not aware of the danger. I have befriended many people in homeless shelters who would take my help (as a nurse) because they could sense something – a kinship rather than a haughty judgement.
For every “what if” I have determined there was a good reason it happened.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” God gives us strength for the “what if” stuff so that we can roll up our sleeves and do something for others.
Thanks for the What If Challenge Bonnie
Thanks To David Michael Morris for the photo
and what if you were not a writer? how tragic would that be? great post xx
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Hey Colm,that’s a neat idea.Also I was beginning to think I was in a monirity of one not liking Haiku,let alone Tanka etc and all their multifarious derivatives.A Haiku may be mercifully short but still 3 lines and 17 syllables too long if you ask me.By the way I’m the founder member of PAH! (Poets against Haiku)Started todat at 2pm.
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nothing is random…
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High Five!
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Thanks Rob
High 5 back to my partner in crime
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high ten!!! always so encouraging
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‘God gives us strength for the “what if” stuff so that we can roll up our sleeves and do something for others.’ – I love this line. Sounds like you’ve been on quite a journey.
A family very close to us was homeless a couple of years ago, because of the chronic lack of rental properties in the city, and being a widow with three kids, she was the last choice when she tried to get a house. Their family spent a few months living in other church members’ houses until finally a property was found.
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ya never know when it might be a friend or you!!! Best thing is not to fear the unknown and dig in
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Marybeth, I’m sending good thhtogus your way.I also like the dog snoring while the gentle wind blows. Nice combination.And I like the washer going kaput as the phone rings and rings for me, this one could also be a 2-liner, without the third line, which is implied by the first two. Just a thought.Hope that you get clarity from the medico’s, and that you have some rest in these hectic days.
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And I was just wondering about that too!
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Twitter’s awesome! You can put a gdegat on your homepage and use it like an rss feed for news and events, but also have it on your phone, and let people at large or just your immediate peeps know what you’re doing. And for author stalking Joe regularly obliges and Neil Gaiman all but lets you know when he’s brushing his teeth. Seriously, I think he has a third hand.Library thing is a tease, you only get to enter 200 books you’ve read for free, and you can do the same thing with the web cam bar code entry and everything on other sites for free and with no limits.And it’s awesome that Joe does a proliferation of social media and so regularly. I’m totally addicted to checking this site, I think it keeps authors in our mind between production, so we’re johny on the spot when they come out with stuff, and plus he’s been cool about sharing other talented folks.Now that I’ve talked smack about Library Thing, I’m going to head over.
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great post! thanks for sharing and so glad that you see how Christ is strengthening you and working all things out for good! praying for you!
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