Has life turned out the way you thought it would?
By Bensen32
@Bensen32 (27519)
United States
July 17, 2019 3:19pm CST
The other day something came up about life and has life turned out the way I thought it was going to. It made me think about how life is not what I thought it was going to be. Is your life the way you thought it was going to go.
I think back to like 7th grade through high school and think wow life didn't turn out the way I thought it was going to be.
Back then I thought I was going to never get married and certainly never have kids. I thought I would join the military and stay in there for 20 years or worse case become a cop. I would live in a nice but small house just outside town so I could be close to the forest but yet still fairly close to town. I would make a difference in the world by being in the military or being a cop. I would spend time with friends and family.
Then life happened. I joined the Marine Corps out of high school. I got married to a girl I dated in high school and it last just 2 years. I met another girl and was married for the second time 3 years after the first divorce. I left the Marine Corps after 5 years, I still kind of regret that to this day. I have 3 kids and that marriage lasted 8 years. I since have been single including quite a few years as a single dad. We had a house that we sold at the divorce and I have never pulled the trigger on another house or another wife for that matter.
I didn't change the world, I didn't invent the newest bestest gadget and I didn't find the cure for cancer but you know what I did do?
I quit doing drugs the day I left for the Marine Corps and haven't touch one since, I was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps, I quit drinking almost 15 years ago, I raised 3 good kids (adults now). I've never been to prison, and I try my best to always treat people with respect, and I give what I can to a few select charities.
Life might not have turned out exactly the way I thought it might have but over all I really can't complain. I have a few health issues but really nothing to bad. It's not really about what we have but more what we do with what we have. There were times along the way that some bad choices could have been made and life would not be so good. Thankfully I didn't make those choices and life is alright.
I guess I also learned to be happy with what you do have, then to worry about what you don't have.
16 people like this
15 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
17 Jul 19
It's good that you know you can be happy with what you have.
My life hasn't turned out how I thought it would but I'm so grateful that God knows better than I do! =)
I am exactly where I want to be spiritually-well actually I love that I keep growing in my faith, I'm happy with my marriage and my children are such a blessing, and of course I have 3 adorable fur babies too. I am very blessed and grateful. 
5 people like this
@Bensen32 (27519)
• United States
17 Jul 19
It's always good to be happy where you are and it shows in your comments and post that you are a proud and happy parent as we all should be.
It also shows that your faith is important to you and your not afraid to say it. I respect that. As I'm sure you know we don't hold that same view and that's okay. In today's world there are "people" that look down on us both. Those that don't believe as much as those that do and talk freely about it. Like we are some kind of freaks or something cause we stand up for what we feel or believe.
3 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
17 Jul 19
@Bensen32 I'm totally okay with being a Jesus freak! I respect you and I appreciate your respect for me as well.
I will keep praying that God works in your heart though too. 
I will keep praying that God works in your heart though too. 3 people like this
@Bensen32 (27519)
• United States
17 Jul 19
@LovingMyBabies lol Jesus freak, not sure why but that actually made me laugh out loud. maybe it is just coincidence but I have to say seems to me, when they started pulling any mention of god out of schools I think our country made a turn for the worse. If it works I'm all for putting the fear of god into people
3 people like this
@Juliaacv (48447)
• Canada
17 Jul 19
In many ways for every disappointment that you mentioned, you mentioned a feat that many will never achieve.
That is commendable. 
I always wanted to marry a man as smart and as wonderful as my Dad was (doesn't every little girl want that) and I wanted to have a son, and to live out my days with this man that would be so much like my Dad. And I am very pleased that for the most part, that is all true and I am blessed to have the life that I do.
There have been some medical set-backs that I did not see coming, but with the strength of that hubby of mine, I have been able to face those and move on, and some of them were tough.
They say that life is what happens when we stop looking at the roadmap, maybe that is what's happened to you. You have lead a good life, and to raise 3 good young people, who are our future, that is incredible.
I always wanted to marry a man as smart and as wonderful as my Dad was (doesn't every little girl want that) and I wanted to have a son, and to live out my days with this man that would be so much like my Dad. And I am very pleased that for the most part, that is all true and I am blessed to have the life that I do.
There have been some medical set-backs that I did not see coming, but with the strength of that hubby of mine, I have been able to face those and move on, and some of them were tough.
They say that life is what happens when we stop looking at the roadmap, maybe that is what's happened to you. You have lead a good life, and to raise 3 good young people, who are our future, that is incredible.2 people like this
@Bensen32 (27519)
• United States
18 Jul 19
Oh thank you, I really believe it is accepting what we have and being happy with it. All of us have bad things happen in life and we all do dumb things along the way but why make those the things that define us why not the good things that happen in life.
1 person likes this
@psanasangma (5884)
• India
18 Jul 19
Life is unpredictable but I believe you are doing well and tried to have a good life. Your children will be proud of you !
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458192)
• Switzerland
18 Jul 19
The marriage is not for everyone, you finally found out that you could be happy being single and living your life. I married when I was 20, I am still married and I have worked all my life with my husband. Is this what I wanted? Not when I was young, but I am happy how it turned out.
1 person likes this
@Bensen32 (27519)
• United States
18 Jul 19
Oh that is good you have a good relationship. It works for some and well for some of us not so well. I did figure out that I am better being single and a much happier person. I like to date and when I get sick of them or they get sick of me, we just move on.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43077)
• Staten Island, New York
18 Jul 19
My life definitely didn't turn out the way I thought it would in more ways than one. Of of these is being married. Never thought I'd ever get married but mainly because never thought anyone would ask... Love your last paragraph! Well said!
1 person likes this
@Daljinder (23233)
• Bangalore, India
18 Jul 19
You had something in mind and you tried your best. I think trying is the best we can do. Life is known to throw unexpected surprises. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
17 Jul 19
When I was 13 my Danish teacher asked us to write a couple of pages about our future. We had to imagine what our lives would look like when we were 33. I am 42 now, and I was wrong about most things 
The choices I made about education and work as an adult were different from the things I imagined when I was 13, and I didn't predict that I would travel as much as I did and work abroad. But I was right about one thing - I got married
The choices I made about education and work as an adult were different from the things I imagined when I was 13, and I didn't predict that I would travel as much as I did and work abroad. But I was right about one thing - I got married 1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36442)
• Toccoa, Georgia
17 Jul 19
There is one thing in particular that didn't turn out the way I expected. It is not a happy thing (I can not go into details here).
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
18 Jul 19
I never in a million years would have thought I would be where I am now, a landlady?!? Owning my own online business?!?! Did I plan these, nope one day I woke and I was just doing this.
I figured I would be a housewife with a lot of children worrying about how to pay rent each month and live on food stamps. I think God gave me more one way and no children the other way.
1 person likes this
