No Regrets

"Live in the moment or you'll never be free..."

I sometimes wonder what if..?

In my previous blog I stated that the last home of my own was in Cheltenham, a lovely flat in the Montpelier region of the town, which I gave up in December 2008.
I reluctantly didn't re-new my lease on this property as I had just returned from New Zealand (the first time), I couldn't find work in the particular area that I was seeking, and I also received an offer to move to Berkshire and live with a friend rent-free until I found some work.

When I think of what's happened since then and what could have happened had I stayed in Gloucestershire, well...like they say, hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Maybe I should have remained in Cheltenham and took any job that was available, rather than hold out for the ideal position which probably wouldn't have arrived anyway?
Or maybe I could have swallowed my pride and asked to return to my old job at TNT, although by that time I wouldn't have had the luxury of my supportive boss, lovely Lucy, as she had since left the company too.
If I had found work then I wouldn't have gotten myself into debt, and nor would I have ended up on that fateful trip to Edinburgh one year later.

If...that little word which can mean so much, and change everything...

But being the eternal optimist that I am, I like to look at things in a positive way.
I remain a hopeless romantic which a 'glass-half-full' rather than 'glass-half-empty' attitude to life, and I think about what I did achieve between January 2009 and today.

If I had stayed in Cheltenham then I wouldn't have experienced my second memorable visit to New Zealand, and I wouldn't have met my lovely & gorgeous mate, Angela Paul. Despite the hardships I've endured since, nobody can take away my fond memories of Christchurch, Queenstown, Te Anau, Wanaka, Nelson, Pohara, Takaka, Kaiteriteri, Motueka and Kaikoura, and living amongst all the wonderous lakes and mountains.

If I hadn't moved away then I wouldn't have met the sweet & special love of my life in Berkshire.
Circumstances may have dictated that we wouldn't experience a smooth ride with our relationship, and it may still end up in sadness as our time together may be short-lived, but nobody can take away the precious and magical moments that we've shared.

If things didn't turn out the way that they had, then I wouldn't have gotten closer to my family, including my long-lost sister and niece.
Nor would I have come to realise who my real friends were, as they were there when the chips were down!

And finally, by returning to the county of my birth I picked up the pieces and found a new job. And with it, I found some great new friends and work colleagues.

So life is grand after all...and it's definitely better to have no regrets.

Ramblin' Steve