1956 to the present." Were They Mistakes?



Talking here about those turning points in life when you did, or didn't, choose the right path.
To take the left or the right fork in the road? Sometimes the decision was made for you in which case, really there was no choice.

It amazes me how little are the things which would have changed EVERYTHING. To have missed a bus, to have woken ten minutes late; any small difference and our whole future and that of many others could have been different. Ah yes, parallel universes. Have I lost you yet?.

I'm given to impetuous acts, as the following list might show. It's a list of things I chose to do (or not do) when there really was no pressure.

1. Volunteered for RAF aircrew in 1956 (they failed me!)
2. Volunteered for the RAF in 1956 (or the Army would have taken me for 2 yrs)
3. Applied for a fitter's course 1959 (near Blackpool - met Glennys)
4. Proposed to Glennys 1959 (she accepted)
5. Took no "precautions" 1960 (out popped Mitchell)
6. Volunteered for a posting to Singapore 1961 (off we went for 2.5 yrs)
7. "We" decided to get pregnant again 1965 (out popped Martin)
8. Chose not to "sign on for the bundle" during the 60's. (discharged from RAF 1965)
9. Chose Blackburn Aircraft as my new employer 1966 (became an aircraft inspector)
10 Emmigrated to Canada 1968 (joined Canadair)
11 Quit Canadair 1968 (joined Air Canada)
12 Wrote my license 1969 (joined the rat-race)
13 Applied for promotional move to Halifax 1974 (moved out of Quebec!)
14 Built a house in Shubenacadie 1979 (nothing pins you down like a house)
15 Ended an eighteen year rut by taking early retirement in 1993 (smartest move of my life)
16 Sold/threw/gave everything away and went back to England 1995 (it had to be-the cure)
17 Came home to Canada 1996 (England wasn't for me!)
18 Met a certain lady at Dartmouth Ferry Terminal (no regrets at all)

Eighteen turning points, eighteen times when "doing something different" would have literally changed the course of history for me and for others.

Each was prompted by circumstance and I doubt any was thought through, which says little good about my mental processes. But then .... if I'd thought any of them through I'd likely have done things differently and then? Well, as above everything subsequent would have been very different.

Each deserves an explanation perhaps, so I'll give it a try ............................