“I am grateful for this life! And yet I miss the alternatives. All sketches wish to be real… We do not actually know it, but we sense it: our life has a sister vessel which plies an entirely different route.” -Tomas Tranströmer, The Blue House
Although I do not regret the life I choose in the least, I like this idea, that our destiny is not fated, that there are many lives we could live, that our choices steer our course… Now, if only there was time to explore all these lives we dream of, instead of having to pick just one… Maybe that is what writing is to me.
Be warned, only click the link below if you’re in a mood for a little melodrama:
oliviaobryon 
Wow. That is a beautiful reading of a beautiful poem. I love this idea, too. I often wonder what would have happened if I had finished my Fulbright application instead of getting married. There are so many “what if”s. It’s not that I’m disappointed with my life; I’m just curious. I’m at a crossroads again in my life right now, and even though we’ve made our decision, I wonder what would happen if we chose differently. Thanks so much for sharing this. Just gave me something great to meditate on today!
I know exactly what you mean, I feel the same way, especially as I contemplate changes in my own life. Glad it resonated!
This is something we all definitely think about. I am adopted from South Korea, and I always wonder what would have happened to me if I never was chosen. I wonder what options would have been laid in front of me to change who I am and my surroundings today. But I truly believe that all those alternatives played out and are somewhere out in the universe being lived by one of our other selves. If you are ever feeling adventurous and aren’t too turned off by a lot of ‘woo-woo’ stuff, there is a program I can totally recommend that is all about this 🙂
Wow, that would be an interesting contrast to imagine! And, nothing is too woo-woo for me 😉 Would love to hear more…
Please tell me you read Dear Sugar’s “The Ghost Ship That Didn’t Carry Us.” I just read that entry and connected the poem/concept to your post. Both so good… And a little haunting.
YES! I love that you knew where this came from, I had to look it up after reading that entry. Thanks for connecting me to such a meaningful read, I ❤ you friend!