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I know at this age (I'm 77), it's probably silly to even think about the fork in the road. For me I did not have much say as to what road I would take. I was very meek and thought everyone else knew what was "best" for me.
Turns out "they" didn't know either.
So now as most of my lifetime has passed, I do regret taking that road. Even if the other fork wasn't better, at least it would have been my choice.
I had several forks at different times of life. I'm happy where I am, so I'm happy I made the choices I did. Different choices back then would be a different "now" that I might not care for.
I have thought about what might have happened if I had chosen differently.
Everyone has regrets. But if you magically transported me back in time by 40 years, honestly I probably make the same decisions because they were the best for me back then, although not the best for me now.
We always like to screw our future self!
And our current self always wishes our past self worked harder!
I made it to a great many forks in the road. No one made up my mind or even pushed me to make specific choices. I don't have regrets but sometimes I do wonder how different the outcomes and future choices would have been had I chosen the other fork.
I had several forks at different times of life. I'm happy where I am, so I'm happy I made the choices I did. Different choices back then would be a different "now" that I might not care for.
I have thought about what might have happened if I had chosen differently.
I too have had several forks during life. I chose some of the paths and some were chosen for me by fate (or a higher authority).
I firmly believe, however, that everything happens for a reason. The paths we sometimes go down close doors behind us but open new doors ahead of us.
For example, I spent a miserable year in graduate studies and ended up withdrawing from the school. I waited a couple of years and enrolled in a different school in another state. There I wound up meeting my wife of 29 years. We are still together and have two great kids. But for the "wasted" year at that other school and some of the choices I made, my life would have gone down an entirely different path.
I've done alright for a drifter without a real plan.
When I came out of high school, I had a few vague ideas about what I might like to do for a living, but nothing concrete. I did the first three years of college without much of a plan. I dropped out of college due to a rough breakup and some other things going on personally, then came back eight months later, changed majors, and finished.
I graduated into the Great Recession in an area that has a tough economy even in the good times. I've tripled my income since then, but I've had to move a lot to get the skills to be able to do that.
I've traveled more than most people who grow up around here have. I've had a lot of cool experiences.
I know at this age (I'm 77), it's probably silly to even think about the fork in the road. For me I did not have much say as to what road I would take. I was very meek and thought everyone else knew what was "best" for me.
Turns out "they" didn't know either.
So now as most of my lifetime has passed, I do regret taking that road. Even if the other fork wasn't better, at least it would have been my choice.
Can anyone relate?
I was lucky enough that my parents let me choose which road to take at the various forks. And I think you're right - it's because I chose the roads and was invested in making them work so that I don't regret any of my choices. Nor do I think I'd have regretted choosing other roads than I chose - they'd be different rather than worse or better.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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My big fork was at age 40, moving my wife and 3 kids to another state, quitting a good solid job of 17 years and buying a business. As it turned out it was a great 16 years, with good enough income to raise the kids, and we have been extremely happy with the natural beauty and the people here in our woodsy area. We have been in this house for 26 years now, and will be selling in 2-3 years for what would currently be 4 times what we paid for it. That next for will be downsizing to a less expensive and less crowded area with smaller house, more land. Our city was unincorporated with population about 30,000 when we bought here, now over 65,000 with many trees clearcut for the new developments, and now traffic on the main arterial is getting nasty. Not to mention that our property tax is up to $7,500/year.
I have found that it matters little what choices one makes in the end. It really is true that sooner or later, "all roads lead to Rome".
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