Reflections

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  1. Robin Ann
    Robin Ann
    3 months ago

    I’ve always thought some day I would like to do some missionary work. I was actually thinking of this today. I did sign up last year for a volunteer program that helps with disasters and I am thinking of signing up for 8 days (if flying) for helping. There are several states in a state of emergency. I would need to try to do one in November so I could give work some notice. I do have one volunteer day paid every year and a lot of vacation time.

    1. Carol Ann Conner
      Carol
      3 months ago

      Robin Ann, Sounds like a plan. Hope it works out for you.

  2. Ose
    Ose
    3 months ago

    Meditating more whould come to mind, which i do but to meditate more often is something i w0uld love to do more, and playing music would be fine to do more often, too. A good reminder to focus on doing first what is first. Too much which really needs to be done first so that what is first place comes after this. Thank you for this question. Wishing all peaceful sleep and to wake up refreshed to a fresh new day.

  3. Carol Ann Conner
    Carol
    3 months ago

    Oh, I regret a lot of things! But, thankfully, I’ve learned from most of my miss takes. How do I begin tending to them now? I do my best not to repeat them and to be kind to all, refrain from judgement when it rears its head, and practice mindfulness. I’m listening to the book, “Sapiens” by Yaval Noah Harari right now. I highly recommend it. It has amazed me. I am realizing that I know very little about the history of human beings!

    Thank you all for your prayers for my son. Just heard from JJ. His throat is getting better but he is very, very tired. I reminded him that our body is our home and I pray he will not return to work until it is ready.

  4. Charlie T
    Charlie T
    3 months ago

    I have done a lot and I have said a lot.
    There are things that I would have liked
    do in my life, but I’m trying not to live in
    that world of regret. And if anything, I’ve
    said too much. I think I am understood
    and my friends and family know my
    intention.

    1. L
      Loc Tran
      3 months ago

      Charlie, your writing is deep. As a deep person, I totally get this. It’s tempting to explain ourselves too much. We have a strong desire to be understood. Not everyone shares the same desire or has time for that. We only end up getting stuck on the explanation cycle, and whatever we say gets used against us.

  5. Patti
    sunnypatti
    3 months ago

    I feel like my life was full of regrets when I was in my 1st marriage, but that all changed dramatically when I closed the door on that chapter. I don’t feel like I’d have any regrets upon dying, but how would I know anyway? I just want to be remembered as a good person who did her best to make the world a better place, even if in only small ways. So I’ll just keep smiling at people, doing the best I can, and staying as positive as I can along the way.

    1. Joseph
      Joseph McCann
      3 months ago

      Yes, the friendly smile SunnyPatti. It certainly is a good thing.

    2. Carol Ann Conner
      Carol
      3 months ago

      Amen!

  6. Yram
    Yram
    3 months ago

    I don’t think I have regrets to address.
    I often wonder if I had made different choices how my life would have been.
    I think looking into the past wants me to be more present and aware of this present 🎁.

    1. Carol Ann Conner
      Carol
      3 months ago

      Yes, life is a gift/presnet. I think there is a book I read long ago with the title! “The Precious Present.”

  7. Ngoc Nguyen
    Ngoc Nguyen
    3 months ago

    Hmm, this one is a deeply reflective question. Let’s see… If I were to die soon, this wouldn’t mean anything at all. But think of it this way: if my life continues and I don’t put enough effort into succeeding in my studies and career, I’ll definitely regret not taking the opportunities that many people desire. Well, I moved to the U.S. as an adult. It’s not easy to start my life over: new language, limited vision. But it’s possible to learn and improve.
    Last week, I talked to my advisor about changing my major from a computer science BS degree to a Human Services AA degree because I wasn’t confident that I could achieve the 4-year degree after leaving computer science. I don’t want to leave another path again. My advisor convinced me to pursue the 4-year degree, as he also started his life in the U.S. as an immigrant. After our hour-and-a-half talk, I was motivated by my advisor and his clients’ stories. However, there is one thing I may need a little support with. I want to major in Human Services because I want to help people with their basic needs. However, my advisor suggested that I major in Social Work instead because whatever a Human Services worker can do, a Social Worker can do as well, but not the other way around. What do you think? I’m confused about this.
    Thanks a lot for your time reading my reflection and helping me with my concerns. Have a great weekend.

    1. Carol Ann Conner
      Carol
      3 months ago

      NGOC, Good luck finding your path.

      1. Ngoc Nguyen
        Ngoc Nguyen
        3 months ago

        Thanks, Carol. Wishing your son gets well soon!

    2. KC.
      KC
      3 months ago

      I am not familiar with the path you are considering in the US. The link that SunnyPatti shared looks very helpful.

      In Canada, social work is considered a professional path, and the one which is most likely to open many professional doors. It can be a solid stepping stone which may lead in many directions as your life and career unfold.

      Such good news that you are finding the courage and support to choose a path that resonates with who you are now, and the path you envision for yourself in the future.

    3. Charlie T
      Charlie T
      3 months ago

      I am not a very educated person,
      but I know people that are 😁 and
      I have known people with a degree
      in Social Work and there seems to be
      many paths you can take with that
      degree. And all of them involve helping people. I think this would be a good fit
      for such a thoughtful and caring person, such as yourself.

      1. Ngoc Nguyen
        Ngoc Nguyen
        3 months ago

        Charlie, thanks a lot for such a motivated words to me. It’s pretty lift up my confidence.
        Have a great weekend!

    4. L
      Loc Tran
      3 months ago

      My Ngoc, we are still young and have a lot on our journey. This reminds me of how I’ve had people coming up to me wishing that they continued with their piano studies when they were younger. The point there is that doing things our way feels comfortable. Regrets come sooner than we think. My response explains that.

      1. Ngoc Nguyen
        Ngoc Nguyen
        3 months ago

        My Loc, you’re always a supportive husband. 😍 I’m grateful for having you by myside.

    5. Patti
      sunnypatti
      3 months ago

      Your advisor is correct. I found a great article to help differentiate between the two and hope you find it helpful –
      https://online.yu.edu/wurzweiler/blog/social-work-vs-human-services

      1. Ngoc Nguyen
        Ngoc Nguyen
        3 months ago

        Thank you so much, Sunnypatti for the helpful article. I did read it and got the idea for my study path. 😊

  8. Nannette
    Nannette
    3 months ago

    I am thinking in the here and now and not dying. There are a few letters I need to write and perhaps with this prompting of today’s question..I will do that. I can tell you that recently when I had a cardiac arrest…my thoughts did not come. I knew something was happening and said “oh no”…and that was it. I cannot recall anything after that until I woke up. I try to be a good person…and the best version of myself that I can be…but I know that I fall down on that every day- is that a human trait- or is Nannette selfish? I do know that before I close my eyes for the last time I want my faith to be stronger…..but regrets….as the song goes “I have had a few…but too few to mention”…However; whatever I can do to make life better for others I want to do that on this journey.

    1. Yram
      Yram
      3 months ago

      Very well said.

  9. Michele
    Michele
    3 months ago

    The past gives us learning lessons …. so no regrets. (or from the movie, We’re The Millers,- “no ragrets” 🤣🤣)

    Have a great weekend everyone 🙂

    1. Charlie T
      Charlie T
      3 months ago

      I love that movie too! I actually saw a
      huge tattoo across this young man’s
      belly that said “Life is a choise”. 😩
      As someone who could not communicate
      without spellcheck, I felt a pang of pain when I saw this. But that didn’t stop
      me from quoting it frequently. 😁
      Pronounced “choisé”. Very French!

    2. L
      Loc Tran
      3 months ago

      “The best teacher in life is experience” LeBron James.

    3. Patti
      sunnypatti
      3 months ago

      I love that movie!!

  10. Mary
    Mary Mantei
    3 months ago

    From a practical standpoint, my answer is yes. I interpret this question as, “that am I saying I want and not acting on it?”. There are two things:
    One is a letter to a niece that I have written dozens of times in my head. And the second is feeling a pull to engage more in my community. It’s obvious to me how I can tend to these two ideas. So why am I not?

    1. L
      Loc Tran
      3 months ago

      Mary, this sounds familiar. It’s procrastinations. I know all that too well.
      Once, when I was in high school, I had a lot of homework to do. I could have done it on Friday Night. I decided to hold it back a day later feeling that it’s no big deal knowing that it wouldn’t take too long to finish once I came home from getting together with a buddy name Michael. Once I got home, not too long, the power went out for awhile.
      My mom is someone who gets things done right away. She lectured me on that quite a bit. One Traditional Vietnamese folktale she told me about was a man catching worms, so they didn’t eat his plants. He delayed the responsibility for the next day. As soon as he went out there, his plants were already eatten.

      1. Mary
        Mary Mantei
        3 months ago

        Thank you, Loc. You are spot on, “strike while the iron is hot”!

  11. L
    Loc Tran
    3 months ago

    I was able to get proper closure with Paw Mu once 4 years ago. The conversation went great. Ngoc was there, and spoke with her a bit too. She said to Paw Mu “You are the best friend of my husband.”
    This feels similar to former Utah Jazz Star Point Guard, Deron Williams, and his former coach, Jerry Sloan. They were known for budding heads until things came to a head during halftime at a Jazz Bulls game back in the middle of 2011 leading to Jerry Sloan’s resignation. Deron continued to have conflict with his coaches playing a part in a rapid decline. He wanted to make amends with Jerry Sloan but had too much pride and was stubborn. Finally, the Jazz management and ownership arranged a conference call for the 2 men to mend fences. Jerry was tough. Deron took responsibility like a man. It all worked out. D-Will said that if the phone call never happened, it would have haunted him, because the coach ended up passing away in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic from Louie Body Demensia.
    With that being said, that’s exactly how I feel regarding Paw Mu. At the time, the pandemic was happening and getting worse. COVID can kill anyone. Whether she’s still alive or not, one thing for sure is that I’m glad the call happened. It’s a massive relief. There was still the occasional regret from time to time later on for me, but at least the serious part got taken care of. Now that I’m comfortable in my own skin, all of that is in the rear view mirror.

  12. D
    Deann
    3 months ago

    Hmmm I have so much in this life to be grateful for so in a way no regrets, however there are always hopes, dreams and experiences I have that have not been fulfilled.

    Occasionally I will write my daughters letters and put them away. I think the one thing I can do is write a few more..

  13. Joseph
    Joseph McCann
    3 months ago

    I have no way of knowing but I am fairly certain that when one closes their eyes for the last time regrets are a challenge of the living not the departed. That story line has been in many movies though, so maybe a subconscious thought process for this question. I heard in a talk from Alan Watts on his take what death may be like, “Do you remember what it was like before you were born? Well; that is what it will be like when you die.”

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