“The only way to learn is to live.”
–The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
I recently began reading a fictional novel called The Midnight Library, which was released in the past year. The premise is a mid 30s small town British woman is about to commit suicide. She hates her life, as it’s not where she thought it would go. After losing her mediocre job, her pet, and ruminating on numerous other losses she decides to end her life. But not before a surreal experience occurs.
Nora, the lead character, enters the Midnight Library. This a space between life and death where one can explore all other ways your life can go. The library is filled with books of alternate endings of one’s life, and the librarian who leads her through this journey was the same librarian she had in 6th grade.
Anytime I fall in love with a book, I must share it. Exceptional books do that. They stir up emotions, reflections, and conversations among us. We ruminate on the impact the book can have in our lives. This book seems to combine principles from the Akashic Records, Multiverses, Parallel Lives, and The Butterfly Effect.
Who would you be if you made different decisions?
What if there are parallel worlds where you did make these decisions simultaneously existing right now?
How would this have impacted those around you?
I am still only halfway through, but I began to write out a list of multiverses for myself. These are just one liners in my journal that I have jotted down who would I have been if I …
-Stayed married.
-Went into a different career field.
-Never married.
-Remained in my hometown.
-Had children.
-Did not have my pets.
-Pursued my childhood dream.
-Got married to a different person.
-Never took that three month European backpacking trip.
-Chose to not live abroad.
So far I have written 100 of these multiverses, which I will probably continue to do. I encourage you to do this same activity. We are a product of our decisions. Saying yes to one thing is saying no to another. There are still numerous ways our lives can turn out. This reflective exercise is not just exploring regrets we have, but ways our lives can still shift.
You have the power to pivot your life in a myriad of directions.
Who would you be if you took more risks? Took less? Does it matter if there are multiple lives where these decisions were made differently? I encourage you to either read this book and/or reflect on this concept of multiverses in your own life.
It Only Takes A Smile 