I used to think people that claimed they had no regrets in life were phony. They would say things like: “If I had to do it all over again, I’d do it the same” or “Everything has led me to this point, so I have no regrets”. It used to drive me crazy and I always wanted to shout “liar!” Well … then we had our daughter. On Sunday morning, when my wife, daughter, golden retriever, and I walked around Lake Davis and fed the ducks, I realized that I had no regrets. Everything that led to that moment was worth it. If I had to do it all over again, I’d do it the same.
However, there are some little things that I wish happened differently. Incidents or scenarios so far from me that I’d still be in this spot in life, but I think they would’ve added to the quality of our time. Nothing too heavy or life-changing, but a few fun things that I pondered about this morning.
The top 10 things that I wish happened differently in my life, in no particular order.
I wish …
- Bo Jackson didn’t have his career cut short.
- Ayn Rand had kids when she wrote Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
- Happy Days ended sooner.
- Guns & Roses kept their act together (figuratively and literally).
- I took Shop in Junior High and High School.
- Harper Lee wrote more books.
- Fox and ESPN didn’t change sports television to appeal to the casual fan.
- Star Wars Episodes I and II were better.
- I didn’t take life so seriously when I was younger.
- I told my dad I loved him.
Ok, the last one was heavy, but it’s true.
I’m not a Garth Brooks fan, but he was on to something in Unanswered Prayers. As I’m closing out this post, I realize that my list is phony. If I took Shop in ninth grade, perhaps my incompetence around the house wouldn’t have shown a vulnerable side to my wife when we met. If Happy Days ended sooner, we wouldn’t have had the phrase “jump the shark”. If I told my dad I loved him before he died, I probably wouldn’t be so adamant about telling my mom that I love her every time we speak. Yeah, I wish I could’ve seen Bo perform for another 10 – 15 years, but that’s not how it was supposed to unfold. As I get older, I’m learning that life’s best story is life … the one unfolding right in front of us.
Call me a liar, but I have no regrets.
