Big Life Changing Acts

[MrScott]

I recently made the decision to apply to the Military again (I did once before 5 years ago but hurt myself in a work place accident and was unable to join)

The decision to do it again came after alot of thinking, and alot of working dead end jobs with nothing to show for it except still living at my parents house.

Racked up pointless debt of stupid things, so being able to afford to go to school on my own would of cost me even more years to save up to be able to accomplish, and id still be stuck home because of the finanical burdens of school.

This made the military a perfect oportunity to me, they will provide the structure needed, they train, they schoo, they house, and they pay. which makes so many decisions so much easier.

Now more so onto the point of this thread, its been pretty much settled, and finalized to go for a few weeks now (leaving july 6th) and for the whole time going threw the process, nothing was phasing me, was glad to get life started, was glad to move away be my own person. But then last night it struck me.

Had my swearing in today, and when i went to go to sleep last night, i just couldn't do it, keep thinking of all the things im changing at once, all the things im losing, that mean so much to me here. all the things that will never be the same. Like my dog, have had him since he was a puppy, hes my dog threw and threw, im the only one he listens to, only one he lets lay on his belly(hes a 170lb alaskan malamute), but hes going to be 10 this year, and with a bad back end, may not even make it to much past 10, and with basic being 3 months, and then more then likely on the other side of the country, i may never actually see him again. A Best friend, that has always been there for me, since he was 4 and I 7, even my aunt and his mother were best friends. so it was almost family tradition for us to be friends. Leaving the only place i have ever lived for something that is going to be so different, A g/f of 2 years that ive tried to break up with wice in the past month and keep caving and calling her back. its a hell of a feeling and quite something to hit all at once like that.

but i know its for the best, and it needs to be done. but the thinking in my head is there wondering if it really is all for the best.

myquestion to all of you is this, what are someof your biggest life changing decisions, and how did you rationalise it to yourself that you truely are making the right decision?

 

[HBK-aholic]

Brilliant thread idea, rep coming your way for that.

Well, I'm 16 I don't think I'm at an age where I can make huge decisions to totally affect my life. I mean at the moment my biggest has been deciding what college to go to when I got into both I applied to. It was pretty hard actually, and I'm still not 100% sure. But I think things like that you just have to weigh up all your options and see what you can gain from them.

For me I had to look at many different aspects, and still continue to do so. From which subjects, to how far away, to getting the right grades to get in. I feel it's really daunting, making such huge decisions. It's something I dislike doing tbh. I hate the ideathat I could make the wrong one, and regret it.

Anyway, good luck in the military, even though I'm sure you don't need it. Have fun.

 

[MrScott]

Even for 16 Deciding on the correct college is actually quite the life changing decision, i made the wrong choice when i made my decision, and ended up dropping out after one semester. were i ended up taking the job that i got hurt on because i decided i didn't like were i was going with that school so much. applied for the military and the job at the same time and the wrong one accepted first.

So when they time comes to realise it, College is a much bigger decision to some people then they'll ever realise till its done and passed. The right school, and the right educations can make all the difference to some.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Children: Its true when they say having a Child will change everything. But its up to you on whether you see that as a good or a bad thing.

I was 15-16 years old when I first thought of what it'd be like to become a Father. Warped? Maybe.. I was a very unique individual growing up. I never had the teenage lifestyle fantasies of just jumping from relationship to relationship. Or sleeping with as many people as possible. Since the moment I could remember anything of love.. all I knew, was that I wanted a Family, that I wanted that one true love.. that'd last "forever."

I was 18 yrs. old when I got involved the first time with a Mother. I was never viewed as any type of a Father figure, still being a teenager myself though. If anything, that was a very sharp learning curve. As it gave me a glimpse of what Fatherhood would bring.. but with all the negative sides, as trying to Parent children that aren't your own.. is a lot harder, than Parenting children that are yours.

I was 19, going on 20 when I fell in love, true love, for the first time. It was with a girl/Woman who had just had a baby. I fell in love with her Daughter about as quickly as I fell in love with her. And the one moment I'd never forget, is when all of us were out randomly and someone commented about how we made a beautiful looking Family. It was the comment I'd longed to hear "since the beginning." But at the same time, I knew it was a comment that wasn't true as far as I was concerned.. as it wasn't my Family.

It was however during that point in my life that I knew without a doubt, that I'd wanted a Family. And giving up childhood, giving up a teenage lifestyle isn't "easy" to do. A lot of people claim they don't go for that stuff, but yet they do without realizing it. I can claim to say I've turned it down 100%, because I actually followed completely what I said to begin with.

I'm now 26 years old, with a 2+ year old little girl. At times she drives me up the wall and I hate myself for getting angry with her. I know she doesn't know any better, and thats the misguided beauty of Parenting.. you're their teacher.

I know that if I stick with doing my very best, hopefully she'll grow up to become a very wonderful Woman with a very successful life. And thats my goal now, to see her become something great. To know I raised her, because knowing I did something that right.. is the greatest happiness I truly believe a person can know.

However you must understand that having Children isn't easy by any means. I guarantee you I'll encounter road blocks and bad days with this journey.. so in closing, having a child is one of the biggest changes, one of THE BIGGEST choices you'll ever make in your life. Because its not a decision you can screw up. Its not a choice you can go back on. If you mess up, if you second guess yourself, or suddenly change your mind half way through.. you aren't just quitting on yourself.. you're quitting on your Child.

I think I could come to terms with failing in aspects of my own life. But I don't believe I could live with myself if I knew I failed in aspects, regarding my Daughter's.