Life can be only understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards
There are moments in life when everything feels confusing — when we stand at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take. We question our choices, wondering if we’re making the right decisions or if we’ll regret them later. But as time passes, as we look back on those moments, we start to see the bigger picture. We realize that every mistake, every delay, every unexpected turn led us to where we are today.
I’ve had my fair share of struggles, just like everyone else. There were times when I felt lost, uncertain of my future. I used to stress over things that, in hindsight, weren’t as life-altering as I thought. But looking back, I now understand why certain things happened the way they did. The failures that once felt devastating turned out to be redirections. The heartbreaks I thought I wouldn’t recover from helped me grow. The people I lost along the way made space for those who were meant to stay.
We often wish we could fast forward life, skipping the hard parts and jumping straight to the moments of success and happiness. But life doesn’t work that way. We are meant to experience the uncertainty, the struggle, the waiting. Because it’s in those moments that we build resilience. It’s in those moments that we learn the lessons we need to move forward.
One of the hardest things in life is accepting that not everything will make sense immediately. Sometimes, we invest our time and energy into something or someone, believing it’s the right thing to do, only to later realize it wasn’t meant for us. It’s painful to let go of things we once held dear, but in doing so, we make room for new experiences, opportunities, and people that align better with who we are becoming.
Looking back, I can see how moments of uncertainty and pain shaped me. The times I felt rejected pushed me to explore new paths I wouldn’t have considered otherwise. The days I felt like giving up taught me that perseverance always leads to growth. The moments I failed showed me that failure is never the end — it’s a stepping stone to something better.
Life is unpredictable. We don’t always get the closure we want, and sometimes, we won’t have all the answers. But that’s okay. The beauty of life lies in the fact that we continue moving forward, even when we don’t fully understand everything. Every day is a new opportunity to create meaning out of our experiences, to find joy in the little things, and to trust that one day, we’ll look back and understand why things happened the way they did.
So if you’re feeling stuck, if you’re doubting yourself, remember this: you may not understand everything now, but one day you will. Keep going, keep living. Life must be lived forwards, even if we can only make sense of it looking back. Cherish the journey, and trust that everything will fall into place in its own time.
