Hi. Time slowed down for me, on the big hand, while I was reading your post. On the little hand, it scooted back, not just by hours, but years and years into the past.
If you’d asked me twenty years ago where I was to be now, the answer would most definitely have been ‘grave,’ with an added sigh of relief.

Then again, as far as the existence of biological creatures is concerned, there’s only one timeline, and so there are no realistic ‘ifs’ or ‘might-have-beens’ pertaining to the past events. Things can (and always do) happen exactly in one way only. Every daydreamed alternative is just a figment of our imagination as we often indulge in backwards rationalizing or, sorry here, grand-purpose-inventing.

So no, you couldn’t have ‘stayed on the “straight and narrow” when growing up…’ It is and would’ve been an impossible course, at least in this particular experience of our universe by yourself.

Quote: ‘I am writing this because I want everybody else who might feel like “giving up” - to stop and remember WHO THEY ARE – before they were hurt – before they were broken, chipped and scarred. That person which is often just a vague memory is absolutely still there!!!’
The above sentence really touched me, and I shall ponder over its deeper implications soon.

Thank you @jaynie for your transparency in this feature on your life journey. It was a meaningful read to me, catching a glimpse of who you are and how you’ve landed here.

On a closing note, I like the pictures of you and your son, but dislike the pop music.

Take care for now

Arek