All is not Lost

Perceived missed opportunities can be disappointing, to say the least, and sometimes downright devastating. But a missed opportunity does not mean all hope is lost. I was reminded of this fact a while back by experiencing with my then six-year-old daughter the natural process of losing her front tooth. Losing her second upper front tooth was a long-awaited joyful moment for her. As I picked her up from school, she ran to me and made sure she gave me the biggest smile so I would know that “the little stinker” (as she called it lol) finally fell out, and now she has “a much bigger space to stick her tongue through.”

While she enjoyed being a toothless wonder, I believe that a part of my daughter’s joy was rooted in the fact that she knew that the process was temporary, a sign of growing up and becoming a big girl, which she so desires to be like her big sissy. The process of development would, of course, take on new meaning and be experienced differently as she continues to grow, but for that moment, it was pure bliss in the sweetest form. Losing meant she was gaining; she was growing up.

This simple occurrence of physical development and my daughter’s response to it reminds me that in life, there will be losses, missed opportunities, disappointments, and setbacks. And while all this is true, our response to these things matter. Will you wallow in the despair of what could have been, or will you make a choice, as difficult as it may be, to learn, grow, and go forward. Can a loss become a winning moment for you? I say yes, but it depends on how you chose to handle it. I think it is safe to say that it takes many of us a while to look at lost opportunities as a time to refocus, strategize, and get back in the business of living. If what we desire to have or acquire (e.g., better relationships, successful careers, material goods) are perceived more valuable than what we have within us to create our own doors, then missed opportunities would seem devastating. Keep nurturing and nourishing your gifts, and the harvest will come. All is not lost because the ability to create is within you!

It is sometimes helpful to look at life through the lens of a child. Their perspective is not clouded by life’s ups and downs nor jaded by cynicism. They have mastered living in the moment & believing in themselves.

~Be well