The latest meme that’s going around at the moment is based around : “If you could impart some advice to your younger self, what would it be ?”
I’ve made my fair share of mistakes over the years. Sometimes I wish I could change the outcomes or the circumstances I waded into. Let’s see :
Pursuing extreme speed while walking – this really messed up my knees, pretty much finishing the job a bad tackle in rugby started. (Someone caught my ankle while I was at top speed, it twisted the leg, all the force went through the knee – ow)
Not really getting involved in the social side at school – I don’t really think I missed much here. I’d still have trouble keeping up with social small talk even if I had been more involved at school. Besides, I had the cricket scene to dive into.
Oh and a lot of that time spent on my own instead of in groups had me turning my imagination to engineeringy type things like : designing a remote control car. Programming on the computer. Building worlds for d and d. Trouble is, I didn’t write a lot of that down, so it’s faded into memory. But it was good to dive into those alternate realities. They’re shinier than this one.
Getting hurt – and getting hurt more. This is pure physical pain. After the knees, I hurt my back at 16 in my first year in the men’s team. Too much bowling. The year after, I tore a groin muscle that is my major I-Hurt today.
I hurt my shoulder at university. It was dislocated while playing badminton and the same injury tore the rotator cuff. That’s the muscles that hold the arm in the socket. That’s an 18 month injury and more recovery time after that. I was able to bowl again after resting it for that time but it’s worsened with disuse since. Oh well.
I have a lot of finger and hand injuries from the cricket too – I’ve broken a few fingers and had minor fractures on others. Due to the strange way I feel (or don’t feel) pain, I didn’t get those fingers checked out. No matter – I could still use them. It’s just strange things like the natural Vulcan salute and not so strange things like my wrists feeling like glass sometimes.
I regret passing on my third car. That’s the only one I truly have regrets passing on. The others were either not great cars or breaking down. The third car was a Vauxhall Belmont SRi, which had a magic combination of economy and power (it was from before catalytic convertors robbed both). We had a lot of work done on that car and it was pretty well sorted by the time I took it on from my mum. It didn’t have power steering, so my mum was really struggling to drive it. The replacement was a Rover 420, which was an absolute horror for reliability.
This is a list of regrets isn’t it ?
Just one more. Actually two.
I’ve been in two major relationships in my time, one at uni and one during my working days. I went into both for what I felt were the right reasons. Both ladies were pretty and more important, intelligent. Being able to hold that rational conversation about Stuff is key. And that’s having respect for the other person’s opinion too, also recognising that several opinions on a subject can be valid. When that happens, lovely debates ensue.
(Lots of Wall Of Text phone messages bounce between me and Cupid’s Gift – and it really brightens my mood and pulls out the smile when one comes in)
Yep. I went into those two major relationships for what I thought were the right reasons. However, it turned out that I was being used in both. One for my brain to help her through uni and to help out with the transport and other things. One to get her away from a domestic situation which was intolerable (too many people in one house). Good people (and I still get on well with the mum) – but too many in one place.
That kinda scared me off relationships for a while, not helped by the condition of my outsides. I’m hopeful that’s changing though. Even as an introvert, I like being around people and I’d like to be around one particular special person. (See Wall Of Text message comment !)
Really looking forward to Comic Con. And maybe the film Chappie too if we go see that.
So what message would I give to my younger self, given all the possible regrets I list above ?
Do it all again.
Don’t hesitate. If you see something you enjoy doing. DO IT.
The fast walking gave me sprinting muscles. And I do enjoy running Very Fast.
The cricket made me feel part of something. And I was very good at it, in all departments of the game. So although it’s left its mark, I enjoyed every second (well – apart from when it was freezing and raining!)
The relationships helped me learn vital lessons about life. And there were lots of good times there as well before they ended.
Being with that computer let me learn skills that are important for everything. Computer logic teaches problem solving. It also makes you assess exactly what’s going on, including the implied above the explicit.
(That helps decipher what our media tries to make us think too)
I didn’t get the grades I should have – but I got a job that lets me get involved with Very Cool Toys.
I’ve had a good life. So far. I’m hoping it improves and I hope I’ll be able to be that rock that improves a Pretty Lady’s life too.
So my advice to my younger self ? Again :
Don’t hesitate. Do what you enjoy. Perhaps prepare better. But – it was great the first time, do it all again.
Or there’s that. Cya !