An Alternative Universe

What if I were born with blonde hair and blue eyes?

What if I were born and I could not hear my own cries?

What if I were born in a different country?

Would you stop then and stare or even see me?

What if I grew up without a mother or father?

What if I grew up in a different era?

What if I grew up speaking a different language?

Would I have grown up differently, where you still couldn't understand me?

What if I grew up with no siblings?

What if I grew up and did not graduate with a diploma?

What if I grew up and never could make up my mind?

Would I ever succeed or do any better?

What if I went left when I should have gone right?

What if I sat down, fell asleep, and missed my next flight?

What if I looked up or kept my head down?

Would I never find my purpose, or could I ever be found?

What if you called me and I never answered?

What if I never asked even though I had a question?

What if I kept silent and never spoke up?

Would you hear my silence past all of my doubts?

What if I took that chance and moved away?

What if I had no job or place to stay?

What if I was disowned by my family?

Would you still be my friend, or would you not care for me?

What if I said yes, when his aunt told him to marry me?

What if we divorced before our son ever reached three?

What if our first date was really our last?

Would I cry at the thought of never having my two kids?

What if that child support really came?

What if I always had to work overtime and missed my kids' game?

What if I could always see my children smile and never get hurt?

Would that be a dream or could it one day become my reality?

What if I never bought this house?

What if I never had to deal with loss?

What if I never had any pain?

Would I still love the same way, or would my heart have to strain?

What if I never chose to write?

What if I chose to sit in the darkness and never turn on the light?

What if I never listened to that music teacher?

Would I have followed my dreams or lived life to the fullest?

What if I never left that abusive relationship?

What if I did not leave the job with the hostile work environment?

What if I remained where I did not feel welcomed?

Would I ever love myself or know of my worth?

What if I said yes, when I really wanted to say no?

What if I stayed, when I wanted to go?

What if I settled, when I knew I deserved better?

Would I have pushed myself ever?

What if I had taken bigger risks?

What if I had believed in all the myths?

What if I never stood my ground?

Would I have still found my voice, or still be looking around?

What if I had never grown and thought I was always right?

What if I wasn't resilient or decided to continue to fight?

What if I always blamed others or took the easy way out?

Would my character be less than what it's always been about?

What if there was never sadness, nor death?

What if only happiness and joy did exist?

What if I never got up after I fell?

Would my family still love me, be thankful, and feel blessed!

Life has a way of teaching us many lessons, and there is always going to be those what if questions.

It's how we continue to live and move forward. Despite the thoughts in our heads that continue to live and give the illusion that things could have been different.