Our lives as a game of Chess

Disclaimer: I have NEVER played a game of Chess in my life. As I was drifting off to sleep last night I had an image of a chessboard. I was thinking of Chelsea specifically but it goes for all of us. Each period in our lives we make moves. People in our lives make counter moves. We all move around the chessboard making moves based on others' moves. So I thought to myself, "I wonder if Chelsea had made a different move here in this time of her life, if things would have turned out different, better?" Or if someone had countermoved to her different move and the outcome would look so much better - or Worse!! Then I got to thinking about my life. When you are playing out your chess game, it is harder to see how your moves are working for and against you because you are on the board. Others are looking at your game from the side. Do they have a better vantage point from there?? If you had made a move based on their vantage point would your life be better? If you did then would it be your life?? Or theirs? So many times in my life I have made stupid or impulsive decisions. I know my mom sat on the sideline and wished she could have jumped in the game and made the move for me. Did I make the impulsive move to spite her? Did I "countermove" before the move because of her?? It made me think that as hard as it is we need to let others play their game. We can give advise if asked but everyone has to make their own moves. It hurts to watch people make stupid moves but hopefully in the end, they will become a better person for it. And less likely to make those "countermoves" before the move.