Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Wednesday Ramble


"We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.  We often discover what will do by finding out what will not do.  And he who never made a mistake never made a discovery."--Samuel Smiles

Mistakes...regrets...who amongst us doesn't have them? I have many many memories of my past, and  I can think of plenty of mistakes that I have made in my life...poor choices in relationships, addiction, dropping out of high school, my spur of the moment move to the city with $200 and two outfits of clothing.  It would be so easy to sit back now as I prepare to enter my "so-called" twilight years and dwell on all the coulda's, woulda's, and shoulda's...but what good will that do?  It's over, it's done...and, heck, the way I look at it, if I hadn't made those mistakes, I wouldn't be where I am now.  It's quite possible that I never would have met my current  husband, my soul mate, and I may regret marrying someone who was abusive and hateful, but if I hadn't met and married my him, I may not have had my two wonderful sons...Mistakes are how we learn our lessons in life.  They are very much a part of who we are....and who we are in the process of becoming. And, isn't it something how, just one different choice can change one's entire life?


"Often regret is very false and displaced and imagines the past to be totally other than it was."--John O'donohue


There are probably many things in your own lives that you regret; none of us is perfect.... things you wish that you could take back, that you wish you had never done..., things that you wish you could do over again. But, the past is the past...no changing it...The important thing is we utilize the opportunity to learn from our past mistakes and move forward.  We cannot go back and undo the the past; we must be willing let it be because the guilt or blame we may feel will take us out of harmony and balance.  Once something is done, all you can do is your best  from that point on.  This doesn't mean that you forget what has happened, only that you do whatever needs to be done in order to let go of harmful energies such as anger, resentment, and guilt.  


So, when you think back over your own life, what do you see?  Missed opportunities?  Hardship?  Joy?  


Hoping you all have a wonderful day.
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10 comments:

  1. Debra She Who SeeksJune 23, 2010 at 3:01 PM

    The best philosophy is Mehitabel the Cat's -- to hell with everything and "toujours gai!"

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  2. MoonwolfJune 23, 2010 at 3:15 PM

    How about all of the above and more?! Sure, like everyone, there have been mistakes, hardship, missed opportunities, etc. But, as you said, all those things combine with the pursued goals, accomplishments, joy, etc. to make me who I am today. For the most part, I am happy with that person so how can I truly regret things in my past?

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  3. WendyJune 23, 2010 at 3:18 PM

    Thank you Mary for this post, exactly what I needed today. I have Bipolar II disorder and mistakes seem to be the pie from which I made. Compassion for self and others has been my mantra lately. Namaste

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  4. AnonymousJune 23, 2010 at 4:01 PM

    Great post. The beginning quote is so very true. I have learned my most valuable lessons from painful, hard or downright rotten life experiences. Now when I'm in the middle of something hard, I have that as solace.

    I try to live without regret. If I get caught up in that machine (which I do, I'm only human), I only remind myself that I did what I knew to do at that time and hopefully I've learned and become a better person for it.

    Great post, thank you.

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  5. DedeJune 23, 2010 at 9:52 PM

    So very true, no mistakes, no lessons. I guess the saying, live and learn is right on. Wishing you a beautiful evening!

    (((HUGS)))

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  6. Auntie sezzzzzz...June 24, 2010 at 8:51 AM

    I reject regret and guilt.

    It took me many long years, to reach this point. But it was worth it.

    Oh sure, they try to sneak back in. That's life. But me'thinks you gotta' just keep whacking at them and keep 'em down. :-)

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  7. JudyJune 24, 2010 at 9:53 AM

    Hopefully we remember the regrets at the correct time to avoid adding more...

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  8. BogamanJune 24, 2010 at 11:00 AM

    The main thing that strikes me is the fact that I have lived this long, all things considered. Only by the grace of a Higher Power am I now writing this. A lot of wrong or bad decisions played a part in the perilous life I have tread. Which only goes to show me how little I know about the Masters Plan. X.

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  9. RueJune 24, 2010 at 6:36 PM

    I need to get over the idea that a big stone is going to drop on my head one day with "treated that guy poorly" or "said nasty things about that girl" on it.

    I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about Karma, but I refuse to believe that only my poor decisions have weight. I've made some fabulous decisions too.

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  10. Mother MoonJune 25, 2010 at 8:34 AM

    The first quote is so true... I learned early on that in the long run it is best to learn from the bad experiences one has had. Regret or what ifs only bring worry and sadness.

    Sure there are things that I may have done differently yet really I am not sure as if i had, then my life now would not be as it is... yea it may have been better, yet it could also have been much worse...

    On this stroll through this life... I take what I can... Try to be the best I can be and don't beat myself up too much for the things I may not get quite right...

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