Monday 12 March 2012

Regrets, I've had a few...

...But then again, too few to mention. I've always admired that line from My Way for its honesty. Whilst most would aim to die with no regrets, I expect that most die with a few, if not many regrets. Indeed, he is a very lucky man, I think, who can face death with not one regret.

I saw my ex on the weekend for a coffee. He later sent me a link relating to regrets - something we talked about when we met (and the impetus for this post). He told me that an Australian palliative care nurse has written a book entitled the Top Five Regrets of the Dying which is, in turn, based on her blog, Inspiration and Chai.

I've heard, time and time again that regrets should be avoided. My parents seemed to repeat this line mantra-like to me at every opportunity. I quickly reached the point where I saw any expression of regret  as a failure. I soon realised that I could not maintain my sanity and this outlook alongside one another. I had to rethink.

Surely, everyone has regrets - don't they? In this life we grow from the mistakes we make and mistakes are the seeds of regret. I don't see how anyone could navigate this life and have not one regret.

I know there are things that I've done that, had I my time over, I'd do differently. Some regrets I can rectify and some are etched in time; their window for correction having long blown shut. Yes, there are some that I'll take to my deathbed but, thankfully, they are small and insignificant in the great scheme of things.

Perhaps, in sending me the link to the Guardian article he'd read, my ex was fishing to see if I named our time together as one of my regrets. I don't actually think he was and it's not one of my regrets; indeed, my regrets are not wholly different to the 5 named in the book and blog.

Whatever my regrets are; the good thing is, I have every chance of doing something about them so that they cease to be regrets or, at least, diminish substantially.
Today's run at 18:16
Distance4.01 kmTime23:17
Pace5:48 min/kmCadence79 spm
Comments: Cold, clear and still.

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