Life is full of tough decisions and everyday choices that can ultimately change the course of our lives or the lives of others. We ponder some decisions long and hard, yet still make the wrong choice. After the smoke clears, the right choice–the one we should have made–becomes glaringly evident.
Ahh…the beauty of hindsight.
So we don’t always make the right choices, and yeah…sometimes we royally eff things up. But the important thing is that we learn the lessons in life that every interaction, every consequence, every relationship is designed to teach us and use that information to make better decisions going forward.
Artists tend to take the lessons of hindsight a bit further, using them as inspiration for fictional tales, to create deliciously-flawed characters, or to write songs with which listeners easily identify. Justin Timberlake’s latest effort, The 20/20 Experience is my current obsession. (My husband and son are this close to staging a hunger strike if I play it aloud again.) There are a myriad of reasons I love this album. Just to name a few:
- It’s classic JT, but from the more mature perspective of a man who has made some mistakes and learned some lessons.
- The entire album is pretty much a heart-melting love letter to his wife. (Swoon.)
- He and producer, Timbaland are a match made in artistic heaven.
- Several of the songs have a classic funk sound. (Remember when people used actual bands who played actual instruments? People still do that. Here’s proof.)
- I love that half the songs on the album are essentially two different songs. (See my post on Fusion to explain this illness.)
Thankfully we’ve moved beyond the little 45s I spun in my room growing up because this the tracks “Pusher Love Girl,” “Spaceship Coupe,” and “That Girl” would be completely worn out by now. You can listen to the entire album below.
What are some of the best lessons you’ve learned in hindsight? Are there some lessons that can only be learned this way? What do you think?
Great post. Ah blessed hindsight giving birth to all the “if onlys” and clarity of experience and wisdom. I try never to live in regret, but sometimes it’s hard.