If you could go back in time and fix all of your mistakes, making your life perfect...

You can't really fix your mistakes, so accept them and learn from them, and don't repeat them!

But, even if you had a time machine to go back and fix your "mistakes" would you - or, even, should you?

Your life today would be much different if your "mistakes" were corrected. Are you sure you want it changed?

I'll give one quick example from my life. After teaching for two years, I started law school - intending to be the next William Kunstler.

After two years, my grades were good, but I was bored. Law school is a three year program, but they give you five - and no more than five because of how new laws and cases change the law - years to complete it.

I had worked a couple of summers for a local moving company, and so took a two year leave of absence from law school to drive for Allied Van Lines nationwide. I loved seeing the country and meeting new people; staying in good shape because of the exercise carrying dressers, sofas, etc; and making good money. So, although I had only planned to drive for two years, I ended up doing so for almost 40 years.

And, since I get bad leg cramps when I sweat a lot, and since the hot summer is the busy season for movers, and since Lexington has many hot summer days, I moved myself to northern Michigan - 90 miles from Canada - for a cooler home climate.

After I had lived here for about 10 years, I met the woman who would become my wife of just over 19 years now.

Now, my "mistake" was driving for more than the two years allotted in the beginning - or even taking the leave of absence.

But, what would happen if I were able to go back and fix that mistake? I would become an attorney - perhaps even a famous one for the ACLU or similar group - and would work mostly in air-conditioned offices. I would not be affected by the summer heat - after all, I had already lived in Kentucky from age 12 to 36 - and would not move to northern Michigan. And, I would NEVER meet the love of my life - my wife.

Would I give up my wife for the life of an attorney. Not knowingly!!!

Quakertrucker

I really have only one friend I consider "successful" in anything like the conventional sense of the word. My answer is "yes", as there are whole other paths in life he might have taken which could have been equally worthwhile, and he knows it.

thats like trading lots of little mistakes for one big unforgivable one. then you would also have learned nothing and you'd have to make those mistakes again when it mattered more in later life. i'd say no

yes,in a heart beat

Yep

Yep.

I'd never change my past, it's made who I am today...and I really like the person I've become..

No - the past belongs in the past.