A Road Already Traveled
January 28, 2013
Imagine if someone gave you a map of your life with every choice you are going to make with an X at the end. Would you take the map or just throw it away?
Having this map would be pretty helpful. Now you would know what mistakes your were going to make before you actually made them. If you had a tough decision to make and you ended up making the wrong choice, you could change it because you now know the outcome.
A downside to this idea is that, where is the excitement? Some people live for the unexpected. They like living on the edge and not knowing what lies ahead of them.
I think that knowing your destination takes away from the meaning of life. It takes away from our ability to make choices and chose our own paths. Sure, some would breathe a sigh of relief knowing if their hard work is going to pay off, but not knowing if your going to reach your goal is what keeps us going.
Me personally, I enjoy not knowing the unknown. Waking up and not expecting what may or may not happen that day. I think it all depends on the person that you are. There are some that like taking chances, while there are others who like knowing what is going to happen next. Some skip to the end of a movie just to watch the ending while others enjoy watching the plot and story unfold in front of them.
Here is another tough choice. What if you found out the path you were in was a one that had a nightmare ending. Maybe being in the wrong place at the wrong time and something bad happening to you. This is when knowing the future would be very helpful and may save you from a nightmare ending and turn it into something a lot more rewarding.
No need for a map when you already know your destination!
When that time comes and you find that so-called treasure map with your life planned out, do you dare to look?
I think I would just take that map of my life and put it back in the treasure box that it came in and live life without it.
January 28, 2013 at 7:57 pm
I like the question posed here. I would prefer not to know how my life will go. My life is depressing enough as it is, I am not sure I would want to know that it might just get worse.
January 28, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Me too I wouldn’t want to know. Stop with all the sad stuff! None of that sad stuff allowed on this blog!
January 28, 2013 at 8:27 pm
I shall stop. I promise.
January 28, 2013 at 9:42 pm
I agree totally !!!!
January 29, 2013 at 4:06 am
I couldn’t possibly look! If it was bad…what if I couldn’t change it? Or could, but was happy in my current situation? It seems like that would just make your life stressful. Ew, no, I wouldn’t want to know. Well I would but I would refrain. Plus it would put waaaay to much focus on the future taking away all thought to our present. Great topic Vinny!
PS: would YOU look?
January 29, 2013 at 10:51 am
On one hand, I would want to look because I would find out if all of the things I invested time were worth it. But I don’t think I would want to! Argh it’s a tough choice >.< lol
January 29, 2013 at 9:14 am
It would be the perfect chance to find out if we lived in a deterministic world or not. We can’t Change the fact that the journey will end – eventually, but maybe we can plot a new course
January 29, 2013 at 10:55 am
I know! It would be pretty cool to go into the future and see how much things have changed from now. Both better and worse!
January 29, 2013 at 10:07 pm
I really like what you write about. It’s really inspirational and you explore some great thoughts!
January 29, 2013 at 10:16 pm
Thank you so much. I really like to write about different things instead of the normal boring blogs. Like pictures and complaining about life and stuff lol Hopefully other bloggers don’t yell at me now :O lol
February 2, 2013 at 6:36 pm
I truly enjoyed reading this post, very insightful and it makes you think a lot. As for me, I don’t want to have a map which tells my life path, it might be helpful to see if my dreams come true, but it takes away all the excitement and joy of life. The part about changing the bad parts of life or “going around” the possible obstacles is the most interesting. In my perspective, mistakes and those little nightmares makes us who we are and if I change anything, the future transforms as well, and it may turn out absolutely differently, i.e. not how I wanted. So I would definitely not “touch” anything on my path. :]
February 2, 2013 at 6:42 pm
I totally agree. It’s like looking up the spoilers for a movie or something and then going to see the movie. Where is the fun and the excitement! Life is supposed to be lived, without knowing what’s next. Where would the fun be?!
February 5, 2013 at 9:24 pm
[...] http://vinnylanni.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/a-road-already-traveled/ [...]
February 6, 2013 at 5:07 am
It is really indeed a tough decision making but if i already lived without it in the past. I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea if i just keep it inside the treasure box and oh maybe take a glance at it for few sec, promise 1 sec.. hehe
February 6, 2013 at 10:08 am
:O That’s cheating lol It seems as if not many people would look from the responses, very interesting!
February 9, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Oooooh! This is a good one!!! I would NOT take the map. The roads I’ve taken in life were sometimes excruciating, and to avoid reliving the pain I might use the map to detour. But if I did that, all those broken roads would inevitably lead me AWAY from the husband I was so lucky to have finally found. So no way! I’d stash that map in the treasure box right away! Great post :) I really enjoyed reading this.
February 9, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Thanks a lot! It is a really tough choice, trust me it I went back and forth while writing it lol
February 9, 2013 at 6:36 pm
I know me too well. I’d look. But then, just because it would be a challenge, I’d end up trying to change the final outcome. I much prefer to be surprised than to know what will happen, so if you find my map, pease lose it and don’t tell me!
February 10, 2013 at 11:33 am
Wait… I think I have your map here. You will win the lottery and move to Hawaii! lol
February 10, 2013 at 2:20 pm
My wife loves that idea!
February 14, 2013 at 11:50 pm
I would not want to know what the future held for me. I have to wonder if there would be more suicides if we all knew what was in store for us. Would we treat each other more kindly? Or we would try to rush towards our destiny and upset the timeline? A very interesting post!
February 15, 2013 at 5:09 pm
I really don’t know what side to choose, even to this day. Thanks for your opinion, cool to hear what others feel about it
February 15, 2013 at 6:01 pm
You’re welcome.
I don’t think it would be good for anyone to know definitely what their future holds. Why? Because I think people would take a “why should I do anything if I’m going to _____ on _____?” Or maybe someone might think they can commit horrendous crimes because hey, next week they are going to die anyway. It could go the opposite too. What if you knew that the decision you made now would affect millions of lives? That’s a lot of pressure. The more I think about your post, the more I believe we were made not to know our futures for a reason.
It was a very good, thought-provoking post!
February 18, 2013 at 12:16 am
I love this piece. I have thought about these things before, many times. (as a writer and a thinker, I think about everything, my mind never stops!!)
It reminded me of a piece that I wrote
http://thinkspeaktryst.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/the-road-to-nowhere/
I’m glad I found you.. You will see me around.. I really like what I’ve read so far. ~ Jen (Thanks to Deana for finding you..)
February 18, 2013 at 1:39 am
I know it really is something to sit down and think about. Something we will just never know! Thank you (again) lol
February 28, 2013 at 4:26 pm
This is both a great and interesting read.
I tend to spend a lot of time wondering “what if. . .” (in fact, it was a big part of my first blog post), so it makes me wonder what I would have done had I seen the map.
Looking back, the first question is, would I believe it? (or chuck it away and say “yeah RIGHT!”). The 2ed is, would I have made any decisions differently, to hopefully end up on a different path?
Im assuming its an option. lol
February 28, 2013 at 6:45 pm
It’s such a crazy choice and it makes me crazy just thinking about it lol But, I would chose to put my map to the side and keep on living life!
March 3, 2013 at 7:51 pm
The entire point of life is the journey… the ups and downs and the extreme emotions that follow the subsequent choices we make everyday. Without these, we’re simply biding time until it runs out. Personally, I think pain, love, trials, achievements, heartbreak, loss… all of these emotions are beautiful because they are profoundly human. Humans are exquisite creatures and our flaws only serve to make us more beautiful and enduring.
I’m glad a map such as this does not exist. To see the future is a tempting offer and one that I’m glad I do not have to accept nor deny.
March 3, 2013 at 8:55 pm
But, sometimes those pains can be so severe they take away from the fact of enjoying life. I think the map would be pretty cool if it did exist. It would give humans a choice actually worth thinking about!
March 3, 2013 at 9:08 pm
I’m not sure I agree that there are pains so severe that you cannot enjoy life. There was one point in my life where I would have beg, pleaded and sold my kidneys for a map of my life, but I wouldn’t want to know. I want to enjoy each day for each moment and not be looking ahead at what can or will inevitably happen.
I think you have a great blog and pose a fantastic question but I my whole hearted answer is burn the map and live for this moment.
March 3, 2013 at 11:21 pm
It’s a really tough choice either way. I like your insight though! Glad we both decide to burn it and throw it away lol
March 3, 2013 at 11:41 pm
Totally :)
March 14, 2013 at 11:36 pm
Love mysteries in art, not in life. If I could cut it out so that I knew it all ahead I might! Haha..
March 15, 2013 at 12:46 am
Some people love those mysteries though! lol
March 15, 2013 at 1:38 am
I know…. :)