March 8, 2011

I look better without bangs.

People ask me all the time if I regret the choices I have made for my daughter. My quick answer is no, I don't have any regrets. Then I will observe our friends in the deaf community. They are a wonderful group of people. One observation I have made is that the majority of those that are working in their chosen profession are verbal.  I am not saying nonverbal deaf can't have a good job in their chosen profession, this is just my observation in the area where I live. So it got me to thinking, "Do I regret the choices I have made for my daughter?"

While getting ready for my day, I looked in the mirror to do my makeup and the thought came to mind that I look way better without bangs. My next thought was, "How I wish I could go back and not have bangs when I was growing up." I would have looked so much better in comparison. Now with these thoughts in mind, I could sit around and obsess all day about the "what ifs" of life, or I could live. I can't change my Senior year pictures to ones of me without bangs, and I can't go back 6 years and decide that raising my daughter oral is better.

Okay, so maybe the worst analogy ever, but my point is this, if we constantly focus and fuss over the things we SHOULD have done, we miss opportunities for what we COULD be doing. I love having hair that is all one length and easy to maintain, and I love that my daughter is well adjusted and happy. For now,  that is all that matters. If we come to a point in her path that doesn't seem to be working, we will find a different path that will work. We will continue to build her with confidence through love and support. We will teach and encourage her to advocate for herself and be humble enough to ask for help when she needs it.

We all have things we would like to change in our lives. But it is those very things that have made us who we are. If we made a different choice 6 years ago I would have a very different life, and I can not imagine my life without the many people that are in it today. They have all impacted my life in significant ways and given me experiences I cherish. So, to answer my own question, after giving it much thought I can say with confidence and no doubt, I don't regret it. It was one of the best choice we ever made.