To live this solitary life with a minimum of regrets has been my mantra for a while now. This just exemplifies my ignorance.
After 54 wobbly passes around the sun, my goal for limiting my regrets has become ironically, the greatest regret of them all. It’s time to confess that I was bitterly wrong. Regrets cannot be avoided, only amassed.
I have rarely, if ever, completed even a microscopic task at my optimal level, therefore I find a level of regret in nearly all my endeavors. Even those otherwise dubbed successes were still considerably short of greatness. Sure, I’ve won a few games, but I missed a lot of shots!
A regret signals a loss of opportunity. An irrevocable disappointment. But, a regret is merely a wish broken and abandoned by your lack of nurture and discipline.
Obversely, wishes expose a sprouting of hope. Since both breath and life are still mine to expend, the following are my regrets from yesterday and simultaneously my wishes for tomorrow. As a guy who favors the “glass half full” crowd, I choose to label them as simply wishes.
- Wish I had taught less rules and lived more principals.
- Judged less and loved more.
- Learned quicker that painful experiences are not all bad and fun ones are not all good.
- Wish I had given more when no one was looking
- Looked for God more in the places He created and less in those that peddle His brand.
- I wish I had said “Thank You” less and showed it more.
- Done more ridiculously uncommon things.
- Put less passion into the dreams of others and lived out more of my own.
- Spent less money on forgettable things.
- Been less concerned about being right in marriage and more about being kind
- I wish I had given more hugs and less lectures
- Spent less time handcuffed to an unfulfilling job while the key was always within reach.
- Realized sooner that the climb to the top is just an illusion and the prizes are carnival trinkets.
- I had more days wearing backward caps and less wearing silk ties.
- Measured more moments and less time.
- I wish I had helped more people and asked for help more often.
- Stood up to more bullies even if I knew a bloody nose was imminent.
- Listened more and responded less.
- Said “No” a lot more and “Yes” a lot more strategically.
- I wish I had been a better son, brother, friend, husband, and dad. (I’m still nailing this PawPaw job)
- Looked past oddities in others until I saw the humanity that shyly hides away.
- Read more and watched less.
- Journaled earlier and more often.
- Followed more advice from battled explorers and disregarded more opinions of experts
- I wish I had worked harder on the weekdays, played harder on Saturdays and rested more on Sundays.
- Made less lists but checked more boxes.
- Shouted more truth above the rumble of lies.
- Kept this list a bit shorter.
- Made fun of my self more often. See directly above.
- I wish I had said more while using less words.
- Worried less about me and cared more for others.
- Rebelled more defiantly against silly rules.
- Focused more on the care of the seed and less on the harvest of the crop.
- Sifted for meaning instead of for money.
- I wish I had danced more, even my moves didn’t fit the song.
- Left more smiles and less tears.
- Found more joy in the storms.
- Worked more on my craft and less on my critique.
- Embraced the certainty of death earlier so I could live my life deeper.
I wish.
