At first, when I read this prompt, my thoughts were: oh yeah, I have some regrets. There are things that I wish I had done. Things that I wish I had seen. People that I wish I had met. Places that I wish I had gone. Things that I wish I hadn't done. People I wish that I hadn't met. Places I should have avoided.
Because there is no such thing as a life without regrets. We all have them. It is what we do about them that can make us either miserable or make us able to grieve the loss and go one. One of the major regrets that always pops into my mind when I think about something that I should not have done involves my ex-husband. BIG MISTAKE. A mistake that most of the people in my family knew I was making. But it was MY mistake. And I was going to make it. Do I REGRET it? Not one bit. Because if it had not been for my ex I would not be the mother of my sons. (well there are days that I think about this too {sad smile}) but I would not do anything at all to take them out of my lives. NOTHING! So instead of looking at him as a regret, I am going to say Lesson learned!
The other regret that always comes to mind when we talk about regrets is the fact that I have NEVER lived on my own. I used to wish for a cute little apartment with only myself as an occupant. A cute little girly-fied (I am sure that is not a word) bedroom. No one to know what time I come home. And no one to tell me when I should get up. But now, as I face the end of my husband's life, I know too well that I will soon get that chance to live on my own. And I don't know if it is really all that it is cracked up to be. I am sure I will have too much time on my hands. So I am not going to regret not having lived on my own. I am going to use what I know and say Lesson learned!
Do I wish that I had not spent so many hours at work? Do I wish that I had spent more time with my kids when they were young? Of course! Can I change that now? Nope! So I have to accept that I was doing what I knew was best for them at the time. A wise person once said: "When you know better, you do better"~ Maya Angelou. I have spent an awesome amount of time getting to know all my grandchildren. I now know better. Lesson learned!
So I am going to say that I have NO regrets. Nothing that is going to keep me awake at night, anyway. I am going to live my life one day at a time. I am going to do my best to look forward and not backwards. If I can't change it, I can't worry about it anymore.
Lesson Learned!
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I always tend to regret the things I haven't done, rather than the things I have done, that didn't end well. These are the situations that you learn something.
ReplyDeleteWhen a regret stems from not doing something, well then, you have gained nothing.
And my regrets are usually about the past...things I cannot change. I will not regret the past!
DeleteI LOVE THAT! When you know better, you do better. That is profound! LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT!
ReplyDeleteI, too, never lived on my own. :o/ I always wanted to live in an urban area in the city and explore the arts, walk to work, take the train places, be a New Yorker...
Thanks! I love Maya Angelou's wisdom
DeleteIt can be so tough to let go of regrets. I really like your graphic--that it's lessons learned.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is what it is: Lessond learned!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! No regrets!
ReplyDeleteOnly way to go Kim!
DeleteI love your last paragraph. And that's it, isn't it. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, that's it! :)
DeleteI love this! You're absolutely right! :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy to have you visit
DeleteI also have never lived on my own either. I used to think I wished I would have experienced that, but now after reading your post, I know I am glad that I haven't. Great post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we just don't know what we are wishing for, do we?
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