Regrets

I know most people say that they don't live with regrets...that you can't change the past, so why feel bad about it? Well, I've been thinking about this for a couple days now and I think it's total crap.

I mean, I think it's totally acceptable to have some regrets...and some of them don't really need to have any impact on the rest of your life. Like, I wish I had tried harder in Chemistry my Freshman year of college. If I had done better in that class, I would have graduated Magna cum Laude instead of just cum Laude. And to be honest, that's probably the only thing it would have affected. Do I think I'll be turned down from a job because of my piss poor grades in one class in college? Nah...but it still would have been nice to graduate with that honor.

And what about money that I wasted on crap I never used...I don't even want to think about the stuff I've gotten rid of in the last few days as I get ready to move. And that's money that I could have saved or spent on something more constructive. Though, to be honest, I probably would have just blown the money on something else I really didn't need...so I guess I can't spend too much time pondering it.

But then there are the moments that I really wish I could have as a "do over". The times when I said things that really hurt people...sometimes damaging relationships forever. It's not that I want to change the past in an effort to affect the present. I'm not looking for my own version of "The Butterfly Effect". I'm okay with those people not being in my life anymore...I just wish I hadn't caused pain. And in those instances where the relationship wasn't permanently damaged, I wish I could take back the mean/rude things in an effort to calm my guilty conscience. Catholic much? haha

So there we have it - my take on regrets. Regrets have the potential to encourage change in the future. They remind us of what it is we want to avoid. I do think most people have them...and I think that's okay.