I saw this sign on Facebook:
Without any deep thought, I immediately commented ‘Rewind.’
We can all think of events that have happened and decisions we’ve made that we wish we could have over. If I’d only . . .
If I’d only . . . We writers have vivid imaginations. We can easily imagine how our lives would have been so much better if we’d only . . . We’d be wealthy today, or we’d be great golfers or movie stars or whatever.
As I continued through more Facebook posts, I couldn’t get the question out of my mind. Would I really want either button? Would my life be any better if I’d hit ‘Rewind’ and done such and such over again?
God knows before I get there which turn I’m going to make. He knows my every decision before I do. He manages—in some way I can’t even imagine—to weave all my good and bad decisions together, all my left turns and right turns and straight aheads, all my good moves and bad ones, and lead me where He wants me to be. And He does all that without violating my own free will.
If I could go back and do this over again, I wouldn’t have ended up over there, and if I hadn’t been over there, He couldn’t have done that. What gives me the temerity to think I could improve on God’s plan by taking “overs” on some decision or action or event. Heaven forbid.
On second thought, I think I’ll pass on either of the buttons offered. I’ve managed to make a mess of my life, but God has managed to work through that mess to bring me where He wants me to be. What could be better that that?
What “If I’d only’s” do you think about now and then? How sure are you that you’d be better off today if you could do them over?
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If you abide in Me and My word abides in you, then you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
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David N Walker 
Hi, David. It is an interesting thought. If I were to hit the pause button to stay longer in the truly awesome memories of my life, I’d already know I couldn’t stay there forever and have to go on with whatever came next. Rewind to a magical place is also tempting. Rewind for a do-over, I don’t think so. I’ve accepted that I am who I am. I’m far from perfect but listen to God’s ques as often as possible. It’s hot HIS fault I don’t always have my ear to the ground or turned heavenly.
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Great wisdom, Sheri. Thanks.
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Pausing might come in handy once in a while, but who wants to be frozen in time? Rewinding? Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve screwed up enough the first time around. Maybe I wouldn’t make the same mistakes again, but the odds are good I’d make new and bigger ones. So I’d have to pass on both of them. But if someone ever invents time traveling abilities, I’m in! I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and warn a few loved ones to get to the doctor earlier.
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Thanks, Kristy
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David, a good post and I agree wholeheartedly! Love, Jane
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Thanks, Cuz.
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Interesting post, David. I must admit that if I could rewind just a few specifics without changing the course of my life, I would do so. But I guess that is not how it works. I am where I need to be.
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Exactly, Sis.
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I saw this on Facebook, too. I read a post that said she wouldn’t rewind because then she would no have met her husband. The cool thing about rewinding is that you can stop it wherever you want. I wold only rewind back to when both of my children were little.
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But what if some event pursuant to the rewind totally changed the course of your life? Scary to think about.
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It’s an interesting question. I would choose the pause button, but I feel like I already have one: that quiet voice that I think is God speaking to me going, “Hey, pay attention. You’re going to want to remember this.” I’ve been around long enough (and done enough therapy and 12-step work) to not really have any regrets. I’ve made my amends for as many transgressions as I could remember, and usually the things that are really hard or awful have lead me on a path that is more rich and rewarding that I’d be on otherwise. Neat post.
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Exactly. Thanks, JM.
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I think I’ll pass on both buttons too, although I sometimes like to reflect on the past and “what if?” All in all, life’s been very good and I’ve been most blessed. You are one of my big blessings.
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Thanks, Sharon. That’s sweet. You’re one of mine, too.
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