If You Could Rewind Life, Where Would You Want to Be?

Time is priceless; instant replays are not available. Don’t waste any of it on situations that don’t make you smile.

Photo credit: iStock

By Irma Bryant

Life is a journey, and it’s up to me to set the foundation, to know when to pursue and when to let go.

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the youngest of three children, and, my journey to finding myself has been wrought with the challenge of trusting myself first and finding love second. It’s not to say that I did not grow up in a loving environment, nor am I saying that my family life did not present itself with some dubious challenges. However, I did not understand that the love that I sought from others would start with me.

As a young lady, I envisioned and held sacred the notion of the “knight in shining armor” — the man who is coming to give me what I needed, indirectly or exactly. Yet, I wasn’t looking for someone to “save” me, per se. Rather, I believed that I would find/meet someone who would love me as much or more than I thought I loved myself.

My skewed direction in pursuit of love, dating, and relationships — or what I considered or determined love to be — did not manifest itself until I reached my early 20’s. I didn’t recognize that…