Are you someone who lives with regret?
Maybe it’s an old regret,
perhaps about your childhood, or schooling, loves lost, or chances wasted?
I have regrets aplenty.
But if I were honest and could go back, would I do things differently?
The past brought me to where I am today.
Am I happy with that?
In the past few weeks I have found I am appreciating life so much.
Every breath, laugh, smile, hug.
What has brought on this heightened awareness of life?
Am I living in denial?
No.
I am enjoying every moment of every day, because I realise how lucky I am.
All over the country there are people who this New Year face uncertainty.
They have found a lump.
They are awaiting test results.
They have lost a lot of weight.
They are feeling unwell.
These people, their partners, parents or children face a different future.
For them life is no longer a certainty.
For them a clock can be heard ticking.
As far as I know for myself and my family we have so much ahead.
The year is full of promise.
Each day packed with empty minutes and hours.
What I fill them with is my choice.
How much I enjoy and appreciate them is also up to me.
As I settle to sleep each night I usually think back on the day.
What it brought and how I spent it.
However in the past few weeks there has been a slight change to my night time reflections.
As I enter my kitchen to turn off the lights,
I am drawn each night to a photograph.
A smiling, bright, handsome young boy, with a wicked glint in his eye, smiles out at me.
A boy who lived life to the full,
and filled every moment of his twelve short good years, with fun, mischief, sport and laughter.
As I look at him,
sometimes with a smile and sometimes through tears,
I am taken by how full of life and vibrant he is in that photo.
And I am taken aback that for him there are no more days of fun and laughter,
no more tomorrows.
As my tears begin to well up I hear him.
“No regrets Tric. Don’t waste a minute”.
And I am once again inspired by this amazing child, who fought so hard to live.
I smile and in my heart I speak to him, “I’ll do my best Dan, I’ll do my best”.
Today is the tomorrow I was thinking of last night and I remember my promise.
No regrets. Don’t waste a minute.
photo credit: Aidan Jones via photopin cc
photo credit: symphony of love via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
Wonderful reminder for us all, thanks
Thanks a million. I’ve decided its the only New Year resolution I hope this time next year that I’m still trying to keep.
I just now woke from a couple-hours nap after a night of insomnia (the productive kind, thank goodness.) At such a disorienting moment with much uncertainty about what plans, if any, I shall make for this day — since I don’t really even have to think of it as day — it was a sweet encouragement to read this post. Thank you.
Delighted to read that. Thank you. I hope my young friend continues to inspire you.
Hi tric. I also shared you on facebook. 🙂
Thank you so much for that. I’m delighted. In a small way it’s a way of keeping him around. Thank you.
When it comes to my own life, I can honestly say that I have no regrets. It’s easy to look back with the benefit of hindsight and regret choices made but I tell myself that I made the choices because, at the time of making them, they were the right thing to do. I did them with the best of intention. Living with regret for what could have been in the past, prevents you from living in the present and looking forward to the future.
I find it very moving when you speak about that young boy and his legacy. I think I read somewhere that people never truly die because we carry them around with us in our hearts.
Thank you so much. I am right there with you when you say you cannot regret the past as you made those decisions at the time in good faith.
It is still difficult to fully realise Dan is not around nor coming back. But I do think he had such X factor that if anyone is going to continue to inspire people it would be him. He certainly continues to affect me. Best wishes for 2014 I hope its a really happy one for you.
There are always regrets but if we continually look back, we lose sight of the way forward.
I hope you continue to heal tric. Take care ((hugs))
Time moves on and every day is different. As I always say it was not me who lost my son so that helps me keep it in perspective. If anything most of the time I hurt so badly for my friend and the heartache this is for her.
She is amazing though.
Regrets are part of a well-lived life! Sadness is also part of that life, as is endings. If you look backwards too much, though, you will lose focus on where you are heading.
I couldn’t agree more. There was a time in my life when I looked back almost daily, filled with sadness and regret. It is only since I changed my focus that I’ve begun to really enjoy life. The here and now.
A friend just sent me a clip from a Dr. Oz show yesterday. I have never watched “Dr. Oz”. And though I was watching it for one reason…I kept watching. And a different clip went on to tell about our spirit and how spirit is energy. And nothing can destroy energy. Though that form of energy may change. They took an ice cube, added heat to melt it to water, added water to more heat and the form changed again to steam. All different forms. From the ice cube/physical body, to transitions that put our energy out there in different forms. It seems that young Dan’s energy is very much around you.
How great your message is to us Tric. Thank you.
Wow that is certainly food for thought. A wonderful way of thinking. Thank you.
I think this is the only resolution I’ll really try to keep.
It’s a very very good one.
I have regrets aplenty as well. However, I wish for no do-overs. The past has made me who I am today. And what I do today will make me who I am tomorrow. As long as we remember that, we’ll be ok. 🙂
Yes and tomorrow we can blame the mistakes on today and so it goes on. 🙂
I cannot tell you how inspiring I find your blog, it is a joy to read and yet often makes me cry, you have an amazing ability to be write from the heart x
(Blush) Aw dry up your tears I do sometimes write lighter posts! 🙂
I’m delighted to know you enjoy my blog, Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I really appreciate it.
Tric, you have a wonderful inspiration in your young friend to keep you moving forward. No regrets. That’s the way to live and thrive, and see the beauty in each new day. Bless you, and keep spreading the light.
Thank you. Your comment just about sums it all up really. I am sure he will keep me on my toes.
Reblogged this on Vincent Egoro.
Beautiful thoughts and words. So sad when someone departs so young, it’s good that he provides inspiration, however tearfully.
Yes it was a dreadful thing to happen.
The priest who said the funeral mass told us that he was a priest 45 years and had never buried a child only babies.. In five weeks he buried 2, both well known to us. It allows me to understand how rare it is and just how unlucky he was.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
Thank you for your words.I believe all things work together for my good because i love God,there for i can truly say i have no regrets.
I try not to have regrets but must admit I do still have them. However as I get older I think I have less. Thanks for calling over. I’m delighted to see you here reading and commenting.
This is beautiful, Tric. “Don’t waste a minute.” It may be the last minute we have.
Yes there are no guarantees although sometimes we live as if tomorrow is a done deal. Thank you.
I will take away your last line as one for me, “No regrets, don’t waste a minute.” Thank you.
Thank you. My post was worth writing when I read your comment.
this gave me chills as i read it tric, and what a powerful lesson he has taught
Sorry I missed replying to your comment. Thank you. It is a really good end to my days at the moment, so I hope, long may it last.
That is a wonderful feeling! I wish I could get that feeling back though, because I seem to be wasting alot of minutes lately!:) Im so glad youre feeling positive today my friend!
Wasting minutes or relaxing? I am a lot more positive thanks. The shock and reality have settled a good bit plus the new year is a great time for hope.
I hope we both have a positive new year.