our unsent letters
— the chances we don’t take are like unsent letters, sealed with words no one will ever hear
“In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take”
This line – it’s cliche isn’t it? A phrase I usually read from stories and heard from movies.
We all have those letters we never sent – the ones we wrote at 2AM, eating instant ramen and coke, pouring our hearts out in every stroke of our pens, only to fold them neatly and tuck them away in a drawer.
Maybe it was fear? Pride? Or maybe we just do not know how to express them out loud.
Fear has its way to whisper doubts into our minds.
“What if it’s not worth it?”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“What if my feelings aren't reciprocated?”
“What if…?”
But what if I tried?
What if those unsent letters carry more than just words?
What if they hold the life I want to live, the love stories I wanted to experience?
In the end, it’s not the “what ifs” that define us, but our courage to take the risk – a chance for something beautiful.
I always consider the possible consequences of my actions – of taking the risk. Although, I also have this instinct to question myself, “what if this decision is exactly what I need?”
The opportunity toward something I’ve been craving all this time.
But not all risks are worth taking.
Sometimes, we are too deep into this one side of the story that we disregard to acknowledge the other where it might be the best choice for us.
Not taking risks at certain times may be the right choice for us.
In the end of our story, we recognize that it’s not about our unsent letters, but about acknowledging when to take the chance and when to hold back.
It’s the essence of knowing what to do in certain circumstances.
Each of our what ifs carries its own weight, but sometimes, the greatest risk we could take is to let go of whatever’s holding us back. Whether we act on our feelings or keep them sealed, it’s the choices we make – or don’t make – that build our stories.
Then maybe, that’s exactly what we need – to trust ourselves when to take a chance and when to step back because they may carry us to where we are meant to be.
