From The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion: It's Okay to Start Over

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It’s Okay to Start Over

Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man.
--C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

My friend Melissa entered nursing school at age forty-six. A recently divorced stay-at-home mom of three boys, she reluctantly and courageously started over. She was eager to begin her new journey, but part of her felt like a failure. After all, she wouldn’t be in this position of launching a new career if her marriage hadn’t fallen apart.

Why is it exciting to embark on a new career path at age twenty-six, but it’s something to be embarrassed about at age forty-six? I think it’s because we don’t like to admit that we’ve made a wrong turn on the imaginary road to fulfillment. It would certainly be easier to keep moving forward in a familiar struggle and to blame our limitations on mistakes of the past. It takes far more faith and courage to turn our lives upside down in an effort to find our way again.

That’s what I admire most about what Melissa did: she was humble and obedient in making the more difficult choice. And it ultimately led to a more rewarding life for her and her boys.

Lord, please give me the courage and faith to answer your call, even when it means taking a step backward.

To Ponder: In what ways have you made a wrong turn in your life? Is it time to turn around and get back on track?

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Copyright 2016 Theresa Ceniccola for The Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion.
Reprinted with the kind permission of Ave Maria Press. All rights reserved.

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