||: In Wikipedia, regret is defined as an intelligent (and/or emotional) dislike for personal past acts and behaviors. Regret is often felt when someone feels sadness, shame, or guilt after committing an action or actions that the person later wishes that he or she had not done. Regret is distinct from guilt, which is a deeply emotional form of regret — one which may may be difficult to comprehend in an objective or conceptual way.
||: In this regard, the concept of regret is subordinate to guilt in terms of its "emotional power." By comparison, shame, typically refers to the social (rather than personal) aspect of guilt or (in minor context) regret as imposed by the society or culture (enforcement of ethics, morality), which has substantial bearing in matters of (personal and social) honor.
||: Regret can describe not only the dislike for an action that has been committed, but also, importantly, regret of inaction. Many people find themselves wishing that they had done something in a past situation. An English clergyman was once quoted to say that "Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable," the very reason why people wallow on the what-might-have-beens to the extent of a lifetime — several lifetimes, even.
||: Flipping the other side of the coin, regret could also be good. For Henry David Thoreau, you must "Make the most of your regrets… To regret deeply is to live afresh." This also holds true in the context of religion. When a person deeply regrets his mistakes and repents for his sins, he is forgiven and is able to live "afresh."
||: I used to be afraid to commit mistakes, fearing regret and the emotional torture that it brings about. But life has taught me that mistakes are inevitable. To err is human, so they say. So long as the errors did not spring from carelessness and negligent or slovenly behavior, I believe it’s alright to fall and commit mistakes.
||: I have faced a lot of what-might-have-been situations — and continue to do so. Through all those experiences I have learned and faithfully believe that all things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28). Believe me, this is true!
||: Whoah… I can’t believe how my random thoughts brought me to write this note. Haha, I never imagined it to go this deep. This actually just started with me hearing a song from one of my all-time favorite movies, Sliding Doors, which starred Gwyneth Paltrow circa 1998. I recall watching this movie with my Mom and Kuya Dino in SM North. I like this movie so much because of its unique take at what-might-have-beens.
||: Anyway, the plot of the movie involves the character of Gwyneth arriving at work one morning to discover that she had been unjustifiably sacked from her PR job. She is returning home when an amazing thing happens, time reverses itself for a few seconds and a second version of herself is created. In one reality she catches the tube train, meets James and arrives home to find her loathsome lover cheating on her. In the other reality, she misses the tube train, gets mugged, goes to hospital and eventually arrives home to find her lover alone in the shower. The two realities move forward in tandem; in one she leaves her lover and forms a happy, new, loving relationship with James; in the other her life becomes more and more wretched as she takes on two jobs to support her worthless, cheating boyfriend as he supposedly writes his novel but in fact carries on an affair. But whichever reality she was in, she was bound to meet James, the person who would love her as she deserves to be loved.
||: The movie was entitled Sliding Doors because the different scenarios started with the premise of what if she was or wasn’t able to catch the train (through its sliding doors) on time. In either scenario, she was bound to meet the person to truly love her through another set of sliding doors… that of an elevator.
||: Such as in each of our lives, whatever "scenarios" or "realities" God leads us to (through our mistakes, probably), it definitely brings us to something good which He prepared specially for us.
||: Going back to the song which started this all… its Turn Back Time by Aqua. Aside from the nice beat to it, I like the song for the idea of wanting to turn back time to change something. But then again —as a parting thought before I give you the lyrics— would you still want to turn back time knowing that everything that’s happening is leading you to something good… or most probably something better?
Give me time to reason,give me time to think it throughPassing through the season,where I cheated youI will always have a cross to wear,but the bolt reminds me I was thereSo give me strength,to face this test tonightIf only I could turn back timeIf only I had said what I still hideIf only I could turn back timeI would stay for the night. For the night…Claim your right to scienceClaim your right to see the truthThough my pangs of conscience,Will drill a hole in youI seen it coming like a thief in the night,I seen it coming from the flash of your lightSo give me strength,to face this test tonightIf only I could turn back timeIf only I had said what I still hideIf only I could turn back time..I would stay for the nightThe bolt reminds me I was therethe bolt reminds me I was thereIf only I could turn back timeIf only I had said what I still hideIf only I could turn back timeI would stay for the night
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