IF ONLY AND OTHER REGRETABLES

 My Fort Worth daughter in law keeps asking me when I am going to write again.  That is a good question that I am not certain I can even answer.  Her latest inquiry came after I told her the story of the wonder dog having stomach issues recently.  She said, "That's funny-you should write about that."  Perhaps but not today.

          l

 

We both are getting old

I have had another topic in mind quite a bit lately and perhaps I can process it better while writing.  Regret has been rolling abound in the gray matter with surprising consistency.  There was a time when I foolishly and perhaps with some arrogance thought I had no regrets---I had played my best hand. THAT is the utmost level of arrogance.   Recently I have come to realize I do have regrets.  OF COURSE-I have regrets.  Do all of us not have some things which we have remorse and feel contrite over?  A time we could have handled things better?  A time when our best foot was not forward?  A mis-spoken word, a harsh response, a lack of action, an if only.  Surely we all have had some slip- some mis-step- some occasion when we could have spoken or acted without thought or perhaps in haste.  A time when we could have been a better version of ourselves.  As I have thought this over, the question seemed to be---

What do I do with or about these regrets?

When regrets include another--have we spoken our sorrow for our words or actions?  Have we done our best to convey an apology?  Have we expressed regret without trying to justify our words or actions which caused harm?  If there is something or sometime from the past which is nagging at you, should we not strive to put it to rest?  Perhaps the only way we can ever have peace is by expressing our sorrow for our thoughts, words or deeds.  When we have done all we can to make peace---then we can have peace.  It can be too late to make amends---I am learning that everyday as I see peers and loved ones leaving this terrestrial ball.  

Perhaps the regrets are from a lack of action on our part.  IF ONLY'S are a bitter pill to swallow.  We gain nothing from wondering what could have been-if only.  Leaving the past and the decisions of the past where they belong--in the history book is best.  If only I had gone to ____________ school, if only I had studied harder  60 years ago, if only I had not made that move, if only I had stayed away from _________, if only I have been born in an other time, if only I had ----------.   That famous old saying

                          

has a great deal of wisdom in it.  We are speaking of history--and there is NO changing history.

Finally what do I do with my regrets?  Hopefully I learn from them.  If we do not learn from our past mistakes which give us regret, then they were truly a waste.  The one good thing we can do with regret is learn from what causes us remorse, contrition, regret.  Learn from it and do not repeat the mistake.  Turning from our "foolish ways" is the rainbow at the end of regret.  Go---and sin no more.

"Forget the former things;

do no dwell on the past.

See I am doing a new thing!

Isaiah 43:18