Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom (And Whimsy)
Posted on May 21, 2025 under Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom with one comment
No regrets
“I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done in my life, any choice that I’ve made. But I’m consumed with regret for the things I didn’t do, the choices I didn’t make, the things I didn’t say. We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to. “What if…” “I wonder what would have…”You will never, never know, and it will haunt you for the rest of your days.”
Born a Crime – Trevor Noah
None of us wants to limp to the finish line.
Life is one long, difficult race. There are peaks and valleys, and mercifully flat plains where the going is relatively easy. We’ve won a few and lost some. We’ve had incredible highs and endured the depths of despair. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried and times when we’ve just had to gut it out. It’s a marathon but finishing strong is our ardent desire.
I have experienced all of these emotions running marathons. They certainly rate as one of the most physically and mentally grueling things I’ve ever done. Walking the Camino twice is right up there. I know all too well what it feels like to limp to the finish line. It’s not a great feeling.
“Regrets I’ve had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.”
My Way – Frank Sinatra
I just finished reading Trevor Noah’s excellent book “Born a Crime” about his life growing up in South Africa around the time of apartheid. It was a very difficult childhood. His quote about regrets leapt off the page.
Loyal readers have heard me go on about this topic and time again, but I feel it bears repeating.
What if?
We all have regrets, but the trick is to minimize them. Many of you have retired and are enjoying the fruits of your labours. You’re travelling, playing pickle ball or making quilts. You have the time, the resources and the good health to be “living the dream”. Many are not so fortunate and struggle with retirement, finding the time long and loneliness your only companion.
The hourglass is not working in our favour.
I spoke with a friend recently. Like so many women, she dedicated her life to her family and her career and had very little “me time”. She’s thinking about doing a solo trip where she can go somewhere “far from the madding crowd”, where she can enjoy peace, quiet and seclusion. I urged her to do just that. If not now, when?
The last thing any of us want is to arrive at the finish line with a litany of regrets.
It doesn’t mean that you have to do something grand or dramatic, or something that requires a big outlay of time and money. It could be as simple as an apology to someone you’ve wronged. That doesn’t take money. It takes courage.
As the sand seeps to the bottom of that hourglass, it might be time to take action.
Please don’t limp to the finish line. Run to the finish line, or jog, or walk. Or wheelchair. Or skateboard or cycle. Or crawl, if necessary. Go screaming, chanting, singing, praying.
Don’t be the one who says, “I wish I had…”
There’s still time.
Have a great weekend.
P.S. It’s hard to imagine that a proximal humerus fracture could ever be considered a good thing but this unfortunate accident provided me the time to work on a project long in the works – my autobiography. Breaking my arm was a mixed blessing. Last week, I was able to finish the first draft. Those of you of a certain age (!) will be able to relate to many of the stories, growing up in this part of the world as part of a large family. My plan is to publish in the Fall.