Every choice I make, every crossroads of life
There’s a version of me I’ll never met
Whom I’ve without even trying, left behind
Perhaps, she’ll turn up at another turn-
Yet, it’s also possible, she’ll be gone like dust
A part of me regrets, wonders,
Who were these women?
Who could I’ve been-
But then the mirror stares me
And I’m so proud of me-
For living a life authentic,
And those women I yearn to meet-
I regret not knowing some of them-
But perhaps, that’s the choice I made for me-
And isn’t life all about authenticity?
(At least I want mine to be.)
Author’s Note: Happy Mental Health May! My therapist often tells me the ability to adapt is a necessary skill for good mental health ( of course, you must check whether this applies to you and your circumstances) but recently we were talking about boundary-setting and how feeling safe often comes from knowing I have choice or a say in my own life. From being in the driver’s seat, though I have not in a situation where that is possible a lot. And that made me reflect upon what matters to me, especially since I often wonder who I would be if I had made different choices. I rarely have regrets but sometimes FOMO hits man, and then I remember the golden words of my therapist, that I made the best choices given the resources I had ( again, I cannot say this is universal), and I tell myself I get to make new choices, but if I love the choice I made, it is okay to wonder and still be okay with doing what I feel is what I want, what aligns with my values, and is best for me. We must try new things, but we must also be grounded in our sense of self. Human life is so paradoxical but perhaps that is where the fun us. I hope this poem was entertaining and helped you, you can read more of my work- including my novel on women’s autonomy, magic, and mental health named “Siya” on Muses_Saga (we add more chapters for paywall free reading based on internal criteria) or you can grab a copy from our store, or an eco-friendly paperback from Muses_Saga. Please note the book is for those 25 and above.