David and I both enjoy dreaming big. Sometimes, when it’s late at night, and we can’t sleep, we talk about our dreams for the future. Often, we talk about changes we’d like to make to our new home. However, our chosen superpower is also a favorite topic.  What do you expect from two comic-loving sci-fi geeks?

The conversation starts like this “If you could have one superpower, what would you choose?” Inevitably, I choose time travel.  I’m so predictable on this choice that I’m surprised he enjoys playing this game with me. I guess he likes to stretch his imagination, whereas I know precisely the superpower I want. I just wish I was as decisive all the time.

My Time-Traveling Superpower

So, what would I do with time travel? First, I’d settle some of this life’s little mysteries. I’d travel back to the beginning of Earth and record creation with my cell phone. Next, I’d hop over to Egypt and watch the building of the Giza Pyramid. We don’t know exactly how it was built and cannot easily replicate its design with modern technology, so how exactly did those ancient dudes do it? I’d ask the engineers and workers the secrets of the universe, but David insists the aliens built them.

My childhood

Next, I’d like to jump back in time to my childhood.  When I was almost 10-years-old, we moved our trailer from Grand Bay, Alabama to a little farming community in the Florida panhandle.  I was excited about the move. It meant we got to be much closer to one of my favorite people on the planet – my grandmother.  But, boy howdy, it was a lot of work! We had to dig waterlines from the road to the slab, and our driveway was about 300 feet long! I was almost 10, and my sister is four years younger than I am.  We used post-hole diggers to dig the line,  loppers to clear the property of shrubs and dense underbrush.  We even dragged downed tree limbs to a fire pit for burning. Sometimes, we worked so late that my dad ran a drop-light so we could see to complete it.

Honestly, that seems like a lot of work for an almost 10-year-old and a nearly 6-year-old.  There have been times in my life that I resented that. Sometimes, we spent so much time working that I felt that was all there was in life.  I’ll be honest. Sometimes, that resentment caused a rift between my dad and me.

My 20’s

Next, I’d jump forward just a bit in time to my 20’s. As it is for most people, my 20’s were a pivotal point in my life. But I was a mess. I got married while still in high school.  Even though I was an honor student, I graduated high school from summer school. I had my first child at 19 and my second a year and a half later.  When I discovered my unplanned second pregnancy, I called my mom in tears, panicked because I could barely care for one child, much less a second and their father was no help. Of course, that miserable marriage ended in divorce.

But What Would I Say?

So, when David and I play this little “What if…” game, despite us dreaming up wild things in our imagination, he is, as always, the epitome of logic. He points out that my presence may cause catastrophic impacts in a Ray Bradberry-esque style. I, of course, in all my glorious predictability, concede his caveat. I don’t want any crushed butterflies in my future, so decide to modify my superpower. Now,  I can time travel, but only as an observer without the ability to interact with people or objects.

So, I’m standing with my 10- and 20-year-old versions. What do I say? Well, since I just limited my superpower, nothing. But what would I advise if I could? I might tell my childhood self that our family has very little money to hire a team of people to dig the waterline and clear the property. It’s a family affair. We all benefit from the move, and we should all take part in it making it a reality.  The experience teaches me a work ethic, family teamwork, and an appreciation for effort when realizing a goal’s full potential.  It’s character building.  I also tell myself to let go of the resentment. My dad, a good man, is doing the best he can and needs all of us to pull together.

I could tell my 20-year-old self that things DO get better. That second child changed my life as much as the first one – and also for the better.  Yes, times are exceedingly harsh.  However, the experience teaches me tenacity, fortitude, and assertiveness.  I learn that I don’t need anyone in my life to take care of me. I am capable of the hard work (see lesson above) that it takes to move forward with life. Again, it’s character building.

SHHH!

So, if I cannot interact with the pyramid’s architects, much less my own self, what’s the point of going back? To see where I’ve been.  Sometimes, it’s helpful to revisit experiences that changed us. We may not consider them life-enriching at the time. Besides, I’m too afraid I would break something. Maybe one of my little pep-talks convinces me that since life improves, I don’t have to work as hard as I did to make it happen. So, it doesn’t get better, and I’m stuck there.

I guess what I am trying to say is that, overall, I am happy with the person that I have become. Life, as it is, is pleasing. It’s not perfect but it’s mine.

I accept who I am – with all my flaws.  I am an introvert with anxiety issues. I’m not perfect. But who would I be today without those lessons – like forgiveness, family teamwork, goal-setting, and dreaming big? One tiny, crushed butterfly could send that whole kaboodle toppling over like Jenga blocks.

So, if I could go back in time and say anything to my younger self, what would I say? Probably nothing.

What’s Your Superpower?

• If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
• If you could go back in time, what would you say to your younger self?

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Alicia Taylor

Blogger at TaylorLife

Happily married to the love of my life. It's just us, our 5 cats, and our beautiful woods. I'm loving living back in the Florida panhandle being close to family. I love cooking, living a healthy lifestyle, taking care of our cozy home, and trying new things.

We enjoy hosting parties and my husband and I are both avid gamers. You can find me on PS4 as SunshineFlaGirl. We also play tabletop RPGs and eurogames.

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