If you invented a device that could fix one problem you are facing right now, would you use it? What problem would you like to solve?

A time machine. Its quite simple to be honest; a time machine would solve a lot of my problems. and everyone else’s problems actually. Its just a matter of how far back one goes.

Do you go to the source of your current problems? Or do you go back to real source of all your problems and try to fix things as you go along? Would you be selfish about it and only try to sort yourself out, or would everybody get the benefit of your magical device? Meh.

Me… I’ll be honest and say that I’d probably only sort out my own problems. At least to start with. To hell with everything else; if its become so bad that I need a time machine then surely its worth sorting out straight away, right?

Things like world peace and the end of world debt and famine would come after. Though I’m not sure how a time machine would help that. Maybe I could prevent the first and second world war? Maybe I could prevent a load of wars?

Or maybe meddling with that type of thing actually creates more problems than the one you are trying to solve.

I hate problems. They’re hard work. By definition they are difficult and things that people would rather do without. But isn’t our dealing with these problems part of what makes us who we are? Isn’t it part of what defines us as people? Is it not how we learn and grow and create?

If the relative speed of horses never became a problem, who would have thought to invent the car or the bicycle? If reading in the dark wasn’t a problem, who would have thought to come up with something like a light bulb or a torch? Who might have considered how electricity could be used?

Exactly.

I need to think in such a way about this particular problem. I have to hope that my decisions and choices, though difficult (and probably avoidable with a time machine) will help me grow and develop and be better. And prove best for people around me. Obviously it isn’t possible to help/please/cater to everyone, but the lesser of two evils isn’t a bad thing, right?

Oh and no, I’m sorry. I can’t tell you what the problem is. That’s a touch too personal for such a public blog. Apologies.

 

My 80 Post Challenge is brought to you with help from Tom Slatin’s 80 Journal Writing Prompts.