What Would Your Timeline Look Like?

The other day at work, I was helping a student created a timeline about President Theodore Roosevelt's life. We printed out this document we found online that listed hundreds of events in his life. We tried to read through them and decide which were the most important to put on this timeline poster he was making. 

It really got me thinking that if my life was displayed in a timeline (and I don't mean the timeline that Facebook has that has a random activities on it from other people) what would be on it? What events would I include or would be included that were life changing?

 As we waded through the events for the Teddy Roosevelt timeline, it was decided that we would use things that were life altering, things that had they not happened he may not have been the person he had become. If that makes any sense at all? For example we thought it was important to note that he had once been a mayor and the governor of New York before ever being a president. But enough of your mini-History lesson for the day. 

I think back over my life thus far and think of the some of the events just in my adulthood or close to, that have completely altered the course of my life. In the summer before my junior year, my best friend and I decided completely randomly one afternoon to convince her mother to drive us 20 minutes or so to the mall. It was that day that I met my first husband. In the spring of 1999 when I was still a junior in high school, I got engaged. For some reason my now ex-husband and I thought it would be a great idea to experience our brand-new life as adults after graduation together. If that hadn't happened, I wonder where I would be today. But I realize that it HAD to happen to give me Matthew and Isaiah, and a lot of the experiences that made me who I am. 

I read somewhere about the ripple effect, and I loved the descriptions I came across. Basically it states that every action taken in a life creates hundreds (maybe even thousands) of events that happen just because the first event happened. It's an interesting What If type game to play. For example, for me, if I'd never married young, I never would have moved to Oregon at all. Which means I could not have met Barrett or his family. If I had never had children, I can't imagine having ever been a teacher OR wanting to be a nurse. It's interesting, but not worth dwelling on. What is important, is that we know that every action we make (especially the bigger decisions) can impact the rest of our lives, and how we treat other people can greatly impact theirs. Read Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver for a powerful fictional take on this that will leave you thinking about the story for weeks after reading (perhaps longer). 

Anyhow, back to the timeline. I think some very important dates in my life would also be these. What would be on your timeline?

 These are but a few moments that have created a ripple effect in my life.: 

• Sometime summer 2000-I forfeited a scholarship to become a pharmacist, to begin teaching prerequisites. 
• September 2005-I had my miracle Matthew, making me a mama, and opening my eyes to what could have happened. This also greatly renewed my interest in being a nurse.
• April 2008-I became mama to a second son, Isaiah, and it cemented the fact that I was, and AM intended( I believe) to be a mother of sons. :) This is a good thing.
• July 2010-"Celebrated" a 10 year wedding anniversary mostly unhappily. To me this was a huge defining moment, and likely to my ex as well. 
• December 2010-separated from my 1st husband after 10 years married and 12 together. 
• January 2011 AND August 2011-I was lucky enough to meet and then marry the best friend I will ever have, and to know love like I had never imagined.
• June 2012-I decided to leave teaching as a profession, and though I have come back to it, this was the time I decided that I needed to pursue becoming a nurse.
• April 2014-Accepted in nursing school. You know the rest.