The subject line is from a song sang by many different people, best done by Frank Sinatra. It ends with the line "I did it my way." The song comes to mind every now and then, not for the ending, but for the line I put in the title, the line about regrets.
I've always said I lived my life without regrets. I think most people feel that way. The country group Rascal Flatts sings about it in their song "God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you." Even the bad things in life have a way of working out. Darius Rucker's song "This" says "maybe it didn't turn out like I planned, maybe that's why I'm such, such a lucky man" says the same thing. Without the bad things in my life, I wouldn't be where I am today. The things that don't kill you make you stronger. All of those kinds of ideas.
So of all the bad things that have happened in the past, all of the mistakes I've made and all of the really, really stupid things I've done, all of those were good? Is that the rational conclusion of all of this? Or maybe, just maybe I SHOULD have some regrets?
Just thinking right now, more to come....
4 comments:
Perhaps you need a conscience to have regrets! I have too many to mention.
Great to see you're blogging again, Randy.
Regrets are interesting in that they are only acknowledged in regards to something that has already happened.
If you could go back in time and change something that didn't turn out the way you wanted to, it's because you've seen that that something didn't quite work out.
But you didn't know that then, so how could it be considered a mistake?
Thomas, glad someone missed me :)
You're right, regrets are (seldom) about things we would have done differently without any additional information. I remember in college thinking "I'm going to regret this tomorrow" - but that's not really regrets, that's just stupid.
But you focused on what I meant, regrets are the feeling you get when you realize you shouldn't have done something now that you have more information (or should have done something).
I also have plenty of regrets. I think it is a mistake to say that "without that bad choice, I wouldn't have learned this and then I wouldn't have this blessing and therefore I don't regret making that bad choice..." I think God blesses us in spite of our bad choices. When we renew our fellowship with Him, He meets us where we are and puts us back on the path to blessings. He is very gracious to us.
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