Functional regret … ( 10 / 30 / 2011 )
Functional regret … ( 10 / 30 / 2011 )
“ As you grow older , you ’ ll find the only things you regret are the things you didn ’ t do .” ~ Zachary Scott
We are taught that we need to analyze our past in order to remember our mistakes — to remember the choices that didn ’ t work out well for us so that we can then make “ better decisions ” in the future ; decisions that will bring us more pleasure or more comfort or more wealth or more ease .
And yet , when we examine it closely , we find that real regret -- what I tend to call “ functional regret ” -- actually has very little to do with the wrong things we did engage , and quite a bit to do with the right things we didn ’ t . Opportunities to care for others are all around us in every moment of our lives ; opportunities that most of us completely ignore most of the time . And these are the sources of our Souls ’ much deeper regret — these are the true mistakes of our past . Did we criticize a friend when we could have encouraged him ? … Did we gossip about an enemy when we could have defended her ? … Did we turn away from a homeless stranger when we could have paused and cared ?
Of course , this more profound form of regret has nothing to do with feeling ashamed of the errors of our past . Instead , “ functional regret ” nonjudgmentally recognizes our recent acts of callousness , and then demands that we go forth into our future and replace them with acts that are courageously Kind .
“ Do not brood over your past mistakes , as this will only fill your mind with regret and depression . Simply do not repeat them in the future .” ~ Sivananda
So my Friends , remember that chances to make a real difference are all around you every day . Search for them , find them , … and then act on them .
“ Learn to see the world in its true light . It will enable you to do good while present , and , when summoned away , to leave without regret .” ~ inspired by Robert E . Lee
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