Spoiler Alert

Once in a blue moon, a truly exceptional show comes around. The last one to take me on an emotional rollercoaster was Peaky Blinders. I felt lost those years after season 5, waiting for season 6 to air. IYKYK. Despite the large shoes to fill, the series Loki has come remarkably close. Now, I will say this: I will not pretend to be a die-hard Marvel super-fan. I am more of a casual fan, or entanglement type of fan, particularly when Logan is in the mix.

There are many interpretations of the series Loki. If you google “Loki ending explained,” articles will pop up like quizlet flashcards. But guess what? This is more of an essay response exam. So, I am going to dig a little deeper. I will begin by stating that Loki had me in my feels a little bit. Why wasn’t there a trigger warning? I was sitting there watching the season finale… triggered. All jokes aside, what Loki was going through felt relatable. Not the whole saving the TVA or multiverse part. But I think we’ve all been in a similar situation.

Think back to a time when you were running around with your head cut off… doing your best to control a situation. It felt like a self-made purgatory. You felt isolated carrying this burden you put on your shoulders. You felt like you had no energy left to give, but you managed to squeeze out just enough in the hopes that you could “fix” things. You were struggling trying to control this little bubble of time. If only you could just get everything to fall into place. And all of that to realize that things were going to happen how they were meant to, regardless of your efforts.

Reflecting on the many times I’ve put myself in purgatory, I can't help but have mixed emotions. I’m grateful for the wisdom that I gained from these experiences. The regret and pain that came along have taught me a lot. I would rather not have gone through those things at all. Were there circumstances that made me smarter or stronger mentally? Of course. And, of course, there are many things I wish I could go back and change. I would be lying if I said I never think about the what-ifs. But just like Loki realized, going back in time doesn't fix anything. What is beneficial, is using my energy and experience resourcefully and applying it toward my purpose.

It feels like some people are born knowing what their purpose is in life. For other people, it takes years of effort. In Loki’s case, centuries. I think I’ve always known my purpose. Whether I fought it or not is another thing. I do know two things to be true. One, life is short. Two, life is about the journey, not the destination. How we arrive at the destination is most important and is where the lesson lies. I’ve made mistakes. I have regrets. But I can not live in the past. That person no longer exists. And I cannot waste the present trying to control every outcome of every uncomfortable situation. The present moment is what matters the most. In the present, we can apply our past to improve our future. Learn from your mistakes and strive to become the best version of yourself. Even if I have to remind myself every day that I can't change the past, I know that I have the opportunity to work toward my purpose today and that is a gift (Hint: the present is a gift).