Regrets

[Planogirl]

I feel like most bad decisions have some kind of positive effect somewhere so I try to search for those. These are a few of my bad decisions:

1. Moving to Texarkana for my husband's career - even though I had a miserable time here, it did further my husband's career and DS had excellent teachers while he was starting out in school.

2. My college major- this was only bad because the job market dropped out in my field while I was in school. I don't regret the education but I wish now that I'd gone in another direction.

3. Not visiting my father one Sunday - I decided that I was too busy and unfortunately he died of a sudden heart attack the next morning. I've always regretted that choice and can't find anything positive in it.

 

[kylara]

I don't hold onto regrets anymore. I take the same track that others on the thread have taken....all the mistakes I have made are an integral part of who I am. So now, rather than live with regret, I try and look at the mistakes as a learning experience. I realize that things I use to regret, have made me stronger and if I "could do them over" I would do them the same way. If I didn't, I would be a much different person.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

This may sound silly but ..... I regret not convincing my parents to get my teeth fixed when I was a teenager. My parents decided they did not want to spend thousands of dollars on braces (they had the money), and at the time I was glad because I did not want a "mouthful of metal". But years later ..... I now cringe everytime I see my smile, and I know I lost job interviews because of my bad teeth. I looked into getting them fixed as an adult .... but now it costs four times as much, and it would take twice as long ..... sigh. If I just threw tantrums until my parents got me braces, all would be well now ........ A good appearance is VERY important in life.

Also, I have career regrets. I got out of college in 1992 (recession years) and never got my foot in the door in a professional job. I wish somehow I got a career going then ......

MORAL OF THIS SAD STORY: Get your kids to an orthodonist early and get those years of braces done as a kid!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[helenabear]

ByTheSea, I completely agree with your thoughts about pondering pasts! I think there is nothing wrong with looking back on past decisions and learning from them. Those very lessons learned are what makes me who I am today! But my personal definition of regret is to be sorry for something I have done... or feel bad about something I have done. Since that is only my thought on how I look at the word regret, I can say I have none

 

[snoopy]

The only real regret I have is that I had a falling out with my brother after my mother died. It wasn't a petty argument, but it could have been avoided. In the end, we have reconciled but strong words were used on both sides and I doubt we will ever truly have the close brother/sister relationship we once had.

Other than that, I have no regrets. I've always lived my life on my terms, and have taken all the risks that I wanted to. Some proved to be worth it, some not, but no real regrets about any that I have taken.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Oh no, this is one of those questions that makes you think!
I wish that I had stayed nomadic. I liked being on the move. I hate staying in one place, it makes you feel stuck!

Is that a good enough answer?

 

[CyranoJones]

Boy, this thread makes me think of what my mom said when she was dying....that you don't want to be on your death bed saying "I wish I had or hadn't..." You want to be thinking "I'm glad I did..."

I'll say ditto to Betz' post!!

 

[Kitty 34]

Originally posted by mickey65
I have no regrets...only lessons learned.

Amen to that!!!!