Carrying some regret

The woman beside me at yoga had 'no regrets' tattooed on her foot. I assume she means - live life to the fullest. Being literal-minded though, I wondered - what would it mean to have no regrets? For a ministerial screening program, I was asked "Is there anything about you, that if people found out, would be damaging to your ministry?" My reply - Absolutely! How could I be a good leader if I didn't have any regrets? This applies to all sorts of people - fundraisers, pastors, parents.

No regrets = narcissist?

At one extreme, no regrets could mean you just don't care about anyone besides yourself.  Sure, you hurt someone but so what? Having regrets means you care. Caring is good!

No regrets = timid?

At the other extreme, no regrets could mean that you have not ventured out of the safe zone enough.  Not taken enough risks, nor failed enough. Failing offers a terrific learning experience (at least in retrospect!)

Embracing regret

Wallowing in shame and guilt is not a bath worth taking. Forgiveness turns guilt into regret, and regret is easier to carry.  Is a certain amount of regret healthy? Remnants of regret provide an emotional early warning system that informs future decisions.

I am far too uncool to have tattoos but "Carrying some regret" might be the right words for me.