Regrets?

Fist things first--the lady who was hit by the car is going to be okay.  I guess she is messed up pretty good, but she'll be okay.

A week or so ago a friend of mine posted an article titled the 5 Regrets of the Dying.  A caretaker kept track of things that people who were dying wished they had done or didn't do in their lives.  The five were 1) I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.  2) I wished I hadn't worked so hard--every man expressed this.  3)  I wish I'd had the courage to express my true feelings.  4)  I wish I'd stayed in touch with my friends. And 5)  I wish I'd let myself be happier.  Not I don't plan on going anytime soon, but I decided to take a look at these things, and kind of take an inventory of my life to see if I need to act on things while I still can. 

Looking at these 5 regrets, I think I've done a better than average job of staying in touch with friends.  Could I do better?  Yes, but that door swings both ways.  I get together with guys from college probably a couple of times a year, and the computer makes it easier to keep in touch.  Wished I hadn't worked so hard?  Nah--I think I've done a good job of not missing things the kids were involved in or family events because of work--or anything else I've wanted to do for that matter.  Wish I'd let myself be happier?  There were some times when things seemed a little bleak, but overall  is good.  Any happier and they'd probably be having me tested now--we're fairly healthy, kids are doing well, sometimes wonder if things could be better.

Now a couple of tough ones for me.  Live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.  Well, I know I never set out to carry the mail.  Heck, it's just temporary until I finish that teaching degree.  Well, that didn't happen.  Life happened.  Sometimes life gets in the way.  I used to think I would have been happier, but who knows.  Things seem to have a way of working out one way or the other.  Now just a short 7 years to retirement--guess I'll live the life true to myself then!

Finally, I wish I'd had the courage to express my true feelings.  I would have to say this is true, even to this day.  I was never any good at expressing things--probably has something to do with the way I was brought up.  Does it bother me?  Don't think so, but maybe I'm just not expressing it well.  Should probably tell people the way I feel--you know, tell the ones you love you love them before they are out of your life and all you can think about is how much you miss them.

So what are my regrets?  I should have taught.  I would have liked it a lot.  Of course, I should have done a better job in college; that probably would have made a difference.  Should have spent more time with my older relatives.  I could have helped people out more, been nicer to them.  I could definately taken better care of myself--that would have been a good idea.  Probably wasted too much money on material things, but that is really neither here nor there as far as I'm concerned.  Overall I think the regrets are few, and I'm working on some stuff while there is still time--I really am pretty lucky, no complaints.  I guess I would tell people to do whatever it takes to be happy and to remember to please themselves.