A favourite online question is, if you were offered the opportunity to go back in time and change one of your decisions, what would you change? The following is Ben’s story.
Ben Walker was an unremarkable man by most standards, living a life marked by routine and predictability. He had married his college sweetheart, Emily, and though their marriage was stable, it was devoid of passion and excitement. Ben often found himself daydreaming about what might have been if he had made different choices.
One stormy evening, as Ben was cleaning out the attic, he stumbled upon an old, dusty mirror. It was ornate and out of place among the boxes of forgotten trinkets. Curious, he wiped away the grime and peered into the reflective surface. To his astonishment, the mirror shimmered, and an image of a man appeared – a man who looked exactly like him.
“Hello, Ben,” the man in the mirror said, his voice echoing in the confined space.
Ben recoiled in shock. “Who are you?” he stammered.
“I am you from another timeline,” the reflection replied. “I can give you a chance to change one decision in your life. Choose wisely.”
Without much hesitation, Ben thought of the girl he had let go in college – Sarah. She had been his first love, a passionate and adventurous woman who made him feel alive. But circumstances had led them apart, and he had settled down with Emily, the safe choice. What if he had chosen differently?
“I want to go back and be with Sarah,” Ben declared, his heart pounding with anticipation.
The mirror shimmered again, and Ben felt a rush of wind engulf him. When he opened his eyes, he was back in his college dorm room, the familiar scent of his old life filling his nostrils. It was the night of the party where he had met Emily, but now he had a chance to change everything.
This time, instead of leaving the party with Emily, Ben sought out Sarah. He found her in a corner, laughing with friends. His heart swelled with nostalgia and longing. He walked over and struck up a conversation, rekindling the spark that had once been there.
As the months passed, Ben and Sarah grew inseparable. They graduated, travelled the world, and embarked on countless adventures together. Their life was a whirlwind of passion and excitement, everything he had dreamed of, and more. He felt alive in ways he never had with Emily. However, sometimes, the excitement could be draining.
One day, while cleaning out the attic of their seaside home, Ben came across the same dusty mirror. It seemed out of place, much like it had before. He wiped the surface and looked into it, expecting nothing. But to his shock, the reflection of his other self appeared once more.
“Hello, Ben,” the reflection said. “Are you truly happy?“
Ben hesitated. “Of course I am,” he replied, though the conviction in his voice wavered. “Think carefully,” the reflection continued. “Every choice has its consequences.”
Ben pondered this. Though his life with Sarah was thrilling, it wasn’t without its struggles. Their passion often led to fiery arguments, long silences, and instability, which sometimes left him longing for the calm predictability of the life he once shared with Emily. He realised that while the grass seemed greener on this side of the fence, it had its own share of weeds.
“What if I want to go back?” Ben asked, his voice trembling.
The reflection smiled. “Every choice you make leads to another fork in the road. Remember, happiness isn’t about the path you choose but how you walk it.” That’s when the mirror shimmered once more, and Ben found himself in the attic of the house he shared with Emily. He shook his head and wondered if it had been a dream. He looked around and couldn’t see any sign of the mirror. With another shake of his head, he descended the stair case to see Emily sitting down beside a warm open fire.
“Hey, you,” she said. “Where have you been?”
Ben walked over and kissed her on the forehead. “Just thinking about us,” he replied.
As he sat down beside her, Ben realised that no matter which path he took, true happiness came from within. It was not about changing the past but about appreciating the present and making the most of the life he had chosen. And with that realisation, Ben finally found peace.
P.S. You learn from the past because you can’t change it.
