My Entire Life Changed In An Instant
The right moments in life can really flip someone’s thinking on its head. Whether it is an awful experience or someone’s wise words, profound moments can linger for a very a long time with both good and bad effects.
These Redditors share harrowing moments and enlightening words that changed the way they look at life.
1. A Heart-Stopping Scare
I found out at 43 years old that needed heart surgery for a genetic heart defect I was born with but didn’t know I had. I was in stage three heart failure. I went from diagnosis to surgery in just six months.
It scared me so much because I had never had surgery of any type before, let alone heart surgery. I came home from the hospital a new person. I’m so much nicer to people and I’m generally much happier. I really appreciate life.
2. Family’s Financial Folly
About five to six years ago, a lot of people my age in our 30s decided to go in on a property with our parents because we saw that buying our own homes was almost impossible anymore. I trusted that my parents were doing what was best for me and would help me get what I needed to get my own home and then later, help me leverage it for a better home. I was so, so wrong.
Well, when the value of said home doubled, it turned out they didn't do what was in my best interest, and, long story short, they rented it and I live in an entirely different state. They chose money over their family.
They feel they did nothing wrong, and that I should have been better at filing paperwork. I am not the only person that has had this happen.
Never go into anything financially with your family. I will never forgive my parents for this and it has changed my life drastically.
3. A Friend’s Advice
My best friend and I were having some drinks around a fire pit on a camping trip. We were the last two up and were just giving some inside jokes and "remember whens". He stopped, looked at me with his glazed-over eyes, and said "
I wish you weren't such a jerk all the time." He leaned back and let out a deep sigh, and continued "It's nice to remember when you weren't so angry all the time".
After hearing that, I decided to start managing my anger and taking steps to decrease stress.
4. Bettering Myself
I said a lot of callous and jerk-ish things to people in my late teens and early 20s. I thought I was “just joking”—but I didn’t know what a mistake I was making. My close friends had enough and ghosted me. I had just moved to a new city where I didn't know anyone aside from my partner. My best friend ducked my calls for months, then finally answered the phone telling me the extent of the damage I'd done to our friendship.
I was blindsided and apologized profusely, telling him I had no ill will behind my words. His response was delivered with tact, and in a calm voice said "Your apology, while impeccably delivered, isn't accepted".
He politely ended the call and that was it. I was crushed. I had a really hard time with losing my best friend and took a serious look at myself and how I acted.
I changed my behavior and stopped being such a jerk. I'm very careful about what I say and how I say it now. Thankfully, he reached out a couple of years later and we reconnected.
I told him how I had reflected on what he said and how much of an impact it had on my life since that phone call. We reconciled and picked up our friendship where we left off.
