Prompt: How do we forgive ourselves for the things we did not become?
This is a line from the Doc Luben poem, ‘14 lines from love letters or suicide notes’
It speaks to me on a deep level.
We all have things we wanted to be or wanted to achieve or do. Goals we set ourselves that we never quite reached. Dreams we had (or still have) about where our lives would take us.
And sometimes they do work out.
And sometimes they don’t.
And when they don’t, does it help to dwell on it? To lose ourselves in despair and to give up on ever becoming anything worthwhile?
Or should we be grateful for what we have and for who we are. For how much better we are today than we were yesterday. For how far we have come.
Do we forgive ourselves and set new targets?
So, here’s today’s prompt:
How do we forgive ourselves for the things we did not become?
Happy journaling.
Dave Bawden is the founder of This Journaling Journey, where he helps people (especially men) use journaling to rewrite their personal myths, reconnect with meaning, and define success on their own terms. He writes at the intersection of self-authorship, narrative identity, and everyday philosophy.
