On Accepting Reality

When events have taken an unexpected turn, we often wonder what we might have done to avoid what has happened. What did we do wrong? What might have happened if we had done differently?

It is natural that such questions should occur. And if asking them helps to avoid repeating mistakes of the past, it is well worth while. But useless, haunting, time-consuming regrets should be shut out.

There are some things we can change, and there are some things we cannot now change. There are times when we can retrace our steps, and there are times when we can’t. And as to those happenings which are now irrevocably beyond our control, it is utter waste to prolong the period of brooding about them.

As to the issues of life and death, for example, we cannot always be sure that anything we think we could have done would have changed the ultimate outcome. Sometimes men survive the most violent occurrences⎯including cruel and crushing accidents and devastating diseases. And sometimes seemingly inconsequential causes result in fatal casualties. Some men survive long years with what looks like every outward element of environment against them, and some pass suddenly who it might seem should surely survive.

In many other things also, there are times when it seems we cannot be so certain of results. There are times when rainfall comes regularly from season to season, and times when it fails to come, and we are brought face to face with the great degree of our dependence upon Divine Providence.

If what it seemed should have happened doesn’t happen, we must accept the fact, the truth, the reality, as must all men. There is much we can do, and what we can do we should do. But there are some things we cannot do, and we cannot do afford to brood too long upon any past untoward turn of events. We must profit by the experience of the past; we must look with faith to the future; and we must not let long regret place a penalty upon the present or the future.