Day 992

Dogs do not seem to experience regret on any level…at least Goldens! Sammy plucked Christmas ornaments off the tree with reckless abandon, Gus sneaks down to the basement to snatch a Beanie Baby and my seniors literally stripped the linoleum off the kitchen floor back in the day. No sign of regret.

Humans may be one of the only species that feels regret. What an interesting emotion…a combination of sadness, longing and frustration. It is one of the few emotions that does not seem to be productive. There is not much you can do to go back and change past decisions.

Having said that, perhaps regret can be transformed into a lesson learned. If we miss an opportunity to show kindness, that might lead to taking action in the future. Perhaps we spoke words we wish we could rescind. That might just lead to measuring what we say in days to come. The lessons might be painful, but they certainly come from a visceral feeling of not repeating past mistakes.

The regrets in my life are few and far between. Embracing life’s journey and looking down the road, instead of backwards, is typically my choice. Looking back, the few regrets I have center around people and any pain I might have caused. I have certainly guarded against hurting someone’s heart, but it is always a possibility… even if it as unintentional. The life lesson for me has been to embrace empathy and think before I speak. It would be nice to feel no regrets like the Goldens, but that does not make for a compassionate person.

On a positive note, the pups allowed me to get a new kitchen floor… no regrets!