Melissa Ann Goodwin

Melissa Ann Goodwin

Thursday, April 26, 2012

W is for "What if?"

What if
we woke up
believing
that the new day
would
bring
something
wonderful?

What if
we believed
that all our dreams
could
and
would
come true?

What if
we believed
that someone
would
do
something
nice
for us today?

What if
the answers
to
all our
questions
were already
in our
hands?

What if?

The other day, we went looking for an air compressor. Sears sells the one we wanted, but it wasn’t it stock. We went to Home Depot. Nope. Ace Hardware. Nope. Last stop Kmart. In my head, I was saying, “We found exactly what we were looking for and it was on sale.” Yup. Kmart had it. One compressor – only one, the very last one.

This morning Dick tried using the compressor, but had trouble. I immediately thought, “Oh NO! PROBLEMS!” Then he asked the owner of the KOA to help him, and within minutes, all was working fine.

While Dick worked with the compressor, I organized our personal stuff inside the RV. I found the beautiful scrapbook that my friend Deirdre gave me a long time ago. It's one of the few "luxuries" I'm bringing in the RV - with luxury defined as anything that isn't absolutely essential. To me, this little book is absolutely essential. In it, I’ve pasted pictures of places I love, cards from dear ones, inspirational poems and quotes.

On the very first page, I had cut out and pasted this quote:

“There is only one way to happiness,
 and that is to cease worrying about things
which are beyond the power of our will.”

I don’t have the attribution for the quote – if you know who said it, please share that. In any case, these are the words I needed to hear. The funny thing is, I already had them, pasted into my little book some years ago, waiting for me to need them again.

What are your "What if's"?

25 comments:

  1. I like to take one day at a time, so I don't think I have what ifs because that would mean planning. Although I am wondering what if my house was draught-free and I could wear nice clothes not 3 jumpers and look like the Michelin man!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's my goal - the day at a time, not the 3 jumpers at once :)

      Delete
  2. Love our quote, but sorry, don't know who said it first.

    Still hoping to hear from you about an article for CapeWomenOnline - I know we emailed a few times and then it seems to have fallen off the radar. I know you're traveling and busy! busy! but maybe even for the Holiday issue - a story from the road about reading your book to kids... or sometning... would love to hear from you again :-)

    Katie O'Sullivan
    Katie@CapeWomenOnline.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Katie, I just came across our emails the other day. Yes, Once we are on the road I can think about it again - I DO want to do it. The "getting going" has been a huge amount of work - like several moves all at once. I will have some stories about reading to kids - so let's keep that in mind!

      Delete
  3. I am so happy things worked out for you. That last quote is so true!
    Blessings, Joanne

    ReplyDelete
  4. 'What if?'is fun to ponder. I like the quotation.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4/26/2012

    If you think positive, positive things will happen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I absolutely believe this is true and it's been very true for me.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous4/26/2012

    Lovely blog! What if's are nice to wonder. This year, I quit my what if's and moved onto It's going to happen. And a new attitude changed everything! Holly Michael

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the ticket! Nice to meet you Holly

      Delete
  7. I'm not much of a what if person. No regrets. Live in the present moment, I guess, because I don't look forward, either. The only time I think about them is when I am making a decision or a choice. Then I run through all of them I can think of--make the best choice I can under the circumstances--and move on. ;)

    Glad you found your compressor and got it working! Yay! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mostly I am working on not worrying, which I absolutely realize to be a collosal waste of time and mental/emotional energy. It is however, in me and I've come a long, long way.

      Delete
  8. My whole life I've worried about the What If! - This RV journey I hope will teach me to not worry and to just say "I'm not worried about it!" I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now and I get a sense of peace and find myself not worrying about things I would normally worry about. It's very liberating!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You and me both, sweetheart. I think this is part of our learning journey! xo

      Delete
  9. What if, I wake up one morning on an alien vessel, and they tell me I can't go home!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Then you will have to write a book about it!!!

      Delete
  10. I believe the answers are already there. Nice, refreshing post!

    ReplyDelete
  11. The quote is (if Mr Wikipedia can be trusted) from an ancient Greek gentleman named Epictetus.
    I like your what ifs. I try and live in the here and now, but fail miserably.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank heavens - a kindred spirit. I try so hard to do it too, it's such a big part of my yoga practice, and yet it's a constant struggle for me. I like the name Epictetus. Him smart guy :D

      Delete
  12. Yes - I think I must have trouble with believing the world is a safe place, though unlike you, I don't have good reason from my childhood for that. I don't know where it comes from. I know that you are so welcomed in THIS world, for sure - lots of love and support for you. I understand what you're saying though - what if that was our expectation, rather than something that comes as a surprise? For me, it's what if I can believe good things will happen, rather than fearing they won't???

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love this post.....my what if is....What if I try agian? (Traveling solo).

    ReplyDelete

Talk to me!