No Regrets!

"For all sad words of tongue and pen, 

The saddest are these, 'It might have been'."
John Greenleaf Whittier

 I think we all end up having regrets. My sweet mother-in-law wishes that she would have had more children now that her house is empty. My mother – the most charitable person you would ever meet – will talk about how she wishes she would have been a better mom, and yet the love and admiration of all her children and grandchildren are a testament to her greatness not only as a mother but as a grandmother as well. I have many regrets but none of them about being a mom. I love that part of my life. However, I do wish I would have postponed having children and graduated college first. For many years, I told myself when they were all in school that I would go back and get a degree. And year after year, as I enrolled my children in school, I made excuses as to why I was not in class – not enough time, too old, and where would I even begin. This summer I decided that if I did not start now, I would be 72 and living with the regret that I allowed fear and uncertainty to keep me from a much desired goal. So, after a 29 year absence, this girl finds herself carrying a back pack, writing papers, and taking tests – and I don’t regret it!

Well, I probably will regret the score on my last math test. After receiving a 100% mark on my second test, I became a little overconfident and did not study like I should have done for test three. I forget that I am old, and my memory is not as keen as it used to be. So, during the test, my mind went completely blank. I guess even when we are living the dream, we will experience a few regrets and set-backs. The key is always to be learning. 

So, what are your regrets? Until you are counted among the dearly departed, it is never too late. So, even if it takes 8 hours, do a marathon, or write a book, forgive an old friend, learn to swim, hug your difficult child, take piano lessons, eat better, dance in the rain, or go to school. It may seem incredibly overwhelming, but being one who has been there, it is far better than the alternative of wondering, "what might have been."