Regret

“What’s done is done.”  William Shakespeare

“Every second that you live you are never going to get back. You are never going to get to change what you said, didn’t say, did, or didn’t do. Live how you want to live. Act how you want to be remembered, because you never know how long or short you are going to be here.” Emily Doberstein

“We all do things we desperately wish we could undo. Those regrets just become part of who we are, along with everything else. To spend time trying to change that, well, it’s like chasing clouds.” Libba Bray

“Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets.” Arthur Miller

“My dad used to say that living with regrets was like driving a car that only moved in reverse.” Jodi Picoult 

I’ve spent many hours pondering the subject of regret this week. Wondering whether, if I had my time over, I’d do things differently.

I believe I did the right thing on Tuesday, standing up for a friend. But I regret not giving more consideration to how the consequences would make me – and others – feel. And I wish innocent people hadn’t been caught in the cross fire.

Should I have tempered my words? Probably. Can I do anything about that now? No.

You live, you learn, you move on.

It’s led me to ponder other stuff I wish I’d done a little differently in my 44 years on the planet …

I’d have dropped the surly teenager act every time my great-grandmother tried to engage me in conversation.

I wouldn’t have kissed that 16-year-old boy with no front teeth at the school disco.

I’d have gone to see a dying man instead of putting it off.

I’d have skipped a few ill-advised bedfellows.

I wouldn’t have bought a quarter of a crumbling sandstone mansion during a nesting frenzy (then sold it at a loss three years later).

I wouldn’t have scrubbed the red wine stain on my friend’s new carpet quite so vigorously.

I’d have believed in myself more when times got tough.

I’d have remembered the tooth fairy was supposed to come last night.

And I’d have talked myself out of having another bacon and egg sandwich this morning.

But I’m trying to focus on the positive. Family, friends, health, home. I have all those things and I’m so very grateful for them.

What about you? Do you have any regrets?