What if?
An innocuous question that had held me bound to the strictures of stifling memories, until I cut it’s ugly strings.
What if I fail?
What if I had done things differently?
What if the past was not as it is?
What if I hadn’t walked that path that evening?
What if the man hadn’t run into the road?
What if the babies had lived?
What if x,y,z and so much more?
The shoulda, woulda and coulda’s dance before the eyes like taunting pendulum until I seized it’s swaying string and cut it off.
We live in what if’s as if we really could have stopped what has passed with time – which we can’t!
Our what if’s become a cage, the jury and a judge, holding us prey to its sway and except we take away our eyes on that outdated swinging ball, we will remain in the land of wishful thinking and regret where nothing happens.
These innocuous words ‘what if’ aren’t my favourite two words, because it holds probabilities that tend to border on negativity.
Therefore, except the ‘what if’ connotes positivism, I’d rather drop it from my vocabulary and get on with life as it is.
© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
Our Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: Start your post with a two-letter word. End it with a two-letter word for bonus points. I chose ‘what if.’
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
Enchant me with your expressive eyes, that crinkles in laughter as you speak
that I may find myself ever caught between,
the reflections of your pupils and there shall I remain.
*an excerpt of my poem*
a cooking pot and twisted tales 
I’m with you Jackie. Asking “what if” though it’s part of human nature really serves no useful purpose, better to move onward.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Naturally the mind will ask, but we shouldn’t let it paralyze us from moving forward.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What if I hadn’t stayed for the rubbish I was dished… I wouldn’t be the strong, fun, well rounded (with some slight scarring tis true) woman I am. I am me. Only regret the things you haven’t done. I am me despite “what if.”
A great post thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent and well said. It’s those things we haven’t done that we should aim to do and adversity does make us stronger indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“What ifs” … I don’t like the negativeness it brings to mind. It’s hard to try and turn it around into a positive…but we should try… “What if…I succeed?”
LikeLiked by 3 people
I like the What if…I succeed? thought. That is a very good positive. I am going to try and change my thought process and when I start with a What if… I will really try to make it a positive. Great share. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
I agree completely with trying to rewire our ‘what if’s’ to connote more positivity 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
That definitely sounds better 🙂
LikeLike
I love the visual image you put to this. Great poem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Debra 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
“,,,the land of wishful thinking and regret where nothing happens.” I like that line, and I’ve spent some time there. Going for the positive “what ifs” helped get me out of it. What if I take this little step toward going back to college or apply for that job, what if I try painting again. What if I deserve better. What if there really is someone out there for me who will be a good fit. (and there was!) What if the best of life is on the way?
LikeLiked by 2 people
See! The power of positive thinking is awesome. Beautiful comments, JoAnna. Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Leave the past behind. It serves no purpose in change unless we learn from it. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely! Learn what we can and move on.
LikeLike