If I Could Turn Back Time

I don't like to spend too much of my time thinking about "what ifs." I love my life. I have an amazing husband, the two most adorable children in the world, an incredible family, a fulfilling career and loads of fun. Sometimes though, it's good to think back and realize the things you might do differently.


If I could turn back time, I'd play some team sports. I always wanted to figure skate and when we finally had ice here, I stopped gymnastics, ballet and softball to skate (and spent about 20 hours a week in practice). I had to choose and I made that choice. Looking back, I wish I had kept playing softball, played tennis and gotten more involved in other things than solely ice skating.

If I could turn back time, I would have not been so serious about school. I know this one has you thinking, "What is she talking about?" Really though, I spent a great deal of time thinking about what I wanted to do and how to get there. I wanted to be everything from a cardiothoracic surgeon to a newscaster, a fashion designer to a writer, a stay-at-home mom to a marketing executive and I was always focused. I wouldn't change the focused part one bit, but I would have spent less time thinking about the MCAT and more time enjoying the moment.

If I could turn back time, I would have run in college. I was always fast. I used to beat (or almost beat) the fast guys in my class in the mile every time we did the President's Physical Fitness test. One of my high school teachers who had been a collegiate athlete encouraged me to try to run in college. I didn't do it and now I wish I had.

If I could turn back time, I would have saved all the money I made in high school and college and what I received for graduation gifts. Since I was 14, I've had a job. My parents didn't ever make me work - it was just something I wanted to do. I worked for my granddad's business the summer I was 14 and shortly after, starting working in a small Christian bookstore in our town. I did that through most of college. I also worked in the marketing department of a technology firm and for a TV station (both part time) while I was in college and did some freelance marketing research and business plans when I was in grad school. All of that is to say I made a lot of money (especially considering I was still living on my parents' dime) and I don't have much to show for it other than tons of clothes. I wish I hadn't lived with the mentality of a big spender.

If I could turn back time, I would have done more with my girlfriends. My best friends and I don't get to see each other often, but we're as close as ever. I wish I had done more weekends, beach trips and out of town things with them that I did. We always talked about doing this or that, but when it got down to the actual planning, we don't have the best track record of following through.

If I could turn back time, I would have met and married my husband sooner. I think this one is a given. I'm so thankful we met when we did though because it was, as we now know, the exact right timing.

If I could turn back time, I wouldn't spend so much time worrying about the future. I wouldn't worry about what I'd do, who I'd marry, how many kids I'd have. I'd stay more focused on the now and look forward to the things to come because really, if I could turn back time, I'd tell myself that the best is yet to come. I'd tell myself that one day, I'd meet and fall in love with the most amazing man, I'd become a mother to our two precious boys, I'd have that marketing job I'd always dreamed of and I'd be so fulfilled. And today I'll tell myself to keep enjoying it all because there are still more amazing things to come.


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