Regrets (I’ve Had a Few)
I have always been intrigued by the tiny, feisty French chanteuse, Edith Piaf, belting out that song, No Regrets. She lived a raucous life and lost her love, Marcel Cerdan, the champion boxer, in a plane crash but she never gave in to sorrow.
As a septuagenarian I have rescanned my own life and come up with a few minor lamentations. A minor regret that has plagued my later career in journalism is that I didn’t pay more attention in my typing class in high school. “Hunt and peck” style doesn’t do wonders when writing essays.
A famous heroic American, Nathan Hale stated on the scaffold ready to be hung by the British, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” And then they hanged him.
Woody Allen, when asked about regrets answered, “My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.” That convoluted message works for Woody, but not for many other people.
Kidding aside, I truly regret not having spent more “one on one” time with my children when they were growing up. My generation, those’of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, were in a race to acquire financial gain and monetary success by working hard for long hours at their place of business. I have heard this sad tale from many of my friends and comrades. Possibly it arose from our parents, who lived through the Great Depression of the ’30s.
I read a list of regrets written by people who were asked about their lives’ remorse. Here are some answers.
“I regret that I didn’t learn to forgive earlier in life.”
“I regret the first and third kids, but not the second and fourth.”
“I regret my second marriage.”
“I regret flaunting the good things I possessed.”
“I regret not dancing with my father at my wedding.”
“I regret not moving out of NY State when I was young.”
“I regret marrying a man because I got pregnant.”
“I regret not eating more chocolate.”
These regrets, some serious and some humorous, make up our lives as we get older. However, we are better off not dwelling on them and must go on doing our best.
This is the human condition.
