The Sum of Our Experiences

I just watched an episode of 'Oprah' where the father of a stripper-turned-screen-writer said, "In the end, we are all a product or sum of our experiences and maybe without those experiences she wouldn't be where she's at today".

How very true. As a parent, I've watched my children make choices that made me shudder and go through phases that weren't comfortable to live with. As a human being, I've made some unwise choices and found myself in situations that were tough.

I have often said that if I could do things over again, I would do it all the same. The errors in judgement and the paths that I chose have taught me so much. I would be a shell of the person that I am today if I hadn't travelled this road.

Our experiences have molded us into the people we are today. Whether that is a good thing or not, we still have the power to let our experiences guide us into better choices the next time...