I recall just recently walking pass a store and something in the window caught my gaze. I went in and something else grabbed my attention, it was a beautiful purple dress on a hanger. Having completely forgotten what I went in for due to my captivation by this dress. I walked over to the aisle and saw a lady staring at same dress that had caught my eyes. I kindly said “excuse me miss”, and took up the dress. I looked at it from all angles, and thought it was quite a beauty. Consequently, I immediately fitted it and proceeded to the cashier, only to hear the attendant in the store saying to the lady who was looking at the dress, “you spent so long looking, that lady came and bought the last one”.
It is important for us to cease our opportunities, because many times while we are stuck trying to figure if it is wrong or right for whatever reason, someone who has been looking out for the opportunity will take a hold of it as soon as they see it. The lady I saw in the store, was just looking at the dress for a good while, if she had any doubts, she didn’t even take the dress and attempt to fit it. She simply stood and looked. I, on the other hand, went in for something different and saw the opportunity. Truth be told, I didn’t even realize that it was the dress she was looking at. But as soon as I saw it, I knew once it could fit, I wanted it so I made the move.
I felt bad for the lady because her lengthy deliberation caused her to miss an opportunity but at the same time, I was happy she couldn’t decide because it is her delay that caused me to take a hold of that opportunity.
As I reflected on that experience, I can’t help but think that, that is the way many things are in life. Sometimes, we spend so long deliberating… waiting for perfection, we miss grand opportunities. Yet there are other times, we have been praying, working and looking for new opportunities and as soon as we see them, we cease them.
May we all shoot our shot, for opportunities lost can never be regained. It is like attempting to touch the same part of the river twice.
In the words of H. Jackson Brown, “Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.”
