If Only

The only abilities of those that we don’t have are rewind and fast forward. Those options really would change the game entirely. Can you imagine? So many things…

Who would we be if we could redo our pasts and jump ahead to our futures at will? Would those people we choose to meet and reach out to in our lives choose to keep memories and connections with us? If we erase and avoid past traumas, will we find ourselves and the places and people we otherwise get to?

And what if everyone had telepathy, as well as being empathic, and absolutely truthful? If everyone could hear each others’ thoughts, feel each others’ emotions, always spoke the truth. Who would we be if everyone could see/hear exactly what we think and feel all the time? The world would be Amazing? Terrible? Inconceivably different.

Can’t relive or change the past. Can’t fast forward to the future. Can’t hear or fully trust everyone’s thoughts, feelings, and words.

But marvel at what we have: the abilities to choose, communicate, learn, comprehend, apologize, feel, consider, pause, compose our words and actions — we can compose our words and actions! We can make the choices to be who we are and do what we do, rather than being subject purely to our impulses, bare feelings and exposed thoughts. We can remember, we can change our paths, our minds; we can reach out as we choose and close away too. And no one can take our past and no one can change our future because no one has those buttons; we’re all in this together.

Adapted from Ferrydust