MK Revelations 1:2

Our lives are filled with regret. There is not getting around it. Ever notice that those who say they don't regret something in their lives always preface that with a big *sigh*. The truth is there ARE things they regret in life, but they have come to terms with that, and don't linger on that regret. Essentially, they don't acknowledge it, or they honestly prefer their life the way it turned out.

I have regrets...more than I like to think about. This has caused me to examine why I don't do those things I want to do. The answer is simple - responsibility. Many of those things I didn't do or haven't done simply weren't possible for me to do given the level of responsibility I maintain in my life. That, and perhaps some fear.

I regret the things I haven't done, but I'm not saying I would just go and do them now. I have too much to keep up in life - a home, a marriage, a career, a family. Even so, I try not to dwell on my regrets - because, as I have said, I'm not sure I would have done things differently. I know it's a trade off - living the life I life rather than having adventures.

Even so, my soul aches for them sometimes. I'm not about to unburden my soul on a public internet blog as to what my inner most desires and wants are, but I'm sure we all have them. They aren't the same, but we have them. Those ungratified wants and desires are our regrets, whether we admit to them or not.

They pollute our minds, make us wonder "what if..." endlessly. And yet, sometimes we are able to take life by the horns and actually DO those things we wanted to do, and satisfy those inner desires and needs. Maybe the right circumstances arise, and we are able to do it; or maybe we just decide to face the consequences of our actions and do it. Either way, sometimes there are things we would have regretted not doing that we actually get to do.

What's funny is that even when we do the things we would have regretted not doing, we STILL have regret over the issue. So either way, we sacrifice something in life. At every step, we give something up so we can have something else. We can't have it all, no one can.

Anyways, the revelation is this - we all have regrets. Those who think they don't are lying to themselves. There will always be regrets in the human world as long as there are choices. Each choice not taken is a path not followed, for good or ill.

So enjoy your life. Don't dwell on your regrets. Move forward, or backwards, but just move.

-mk