I don't know if I have too many regrets. I would probably do things differently if I had the last ten years over again, but then again I wouldn't have learnt from my (countless) mistakes if I did. The thing is, every regret I have is transient. Two days ago, I was reflecting on the two years I spent going to the pub almost every weekend. I reflected on the effect on my liver, the effect on my wallet and the effect on my reputation. But hell - I enjoyed it at the time, I got through uni with a very good GPA and have held a good job since. And even if I had saved all my money over those two years, I still wouldn't be able to afford a house.

Of late I have also been reflecting on my decision to accept a place in the BEd course rather than completing my LLB or BSc (Biotech) at uni. When I'm up late marking, when I'm trying to stretch my pay out to keep me afloat, when I'm putting up with abuse from students and their parents, I become very reflective. When I see the money my brother earns and the leisured life he is able (at least occasionally) to lead, I almost become regretful.

But, when I'm supervising kids on a beach, or on an overseas trip, all regret dries up. When I'm marking the stories of the Patrick Whites of the 21st Century, or when I'm stopped in the street by a student who is keen to introduce me to his (or her) parents, or when I'm stopped by a former student who just wants to say 'thanks', I know I made the right choice.

At the end of the day, had I done things differently I may well be dead right now - and I might not have experienced as much joy before I fell off the perch.

*Do you mean apart from not meeting Foxy , Fractelle, Bronwyn, Pelican, Romany, Oh hell most of the reasonable women on OLO before they met their respective hubbies what memories we could have made :-)*

Ah, perhaps the ultimate male sleaze here :) Agree with them, pay
them compliments they want to here, it makes them feel great.
Next he'll perhaps be wanting to meet them offline and they will likely
fall for the whole thing and believe every word!

I've seen it all happen before lol

Regrets, what are they. So far I have no regrets. I don’t regret leaving Queensland and setting up shop in Sydney, I don’t regret studying law for three years, and for being an absolute pain in the backside to public servants. I don’t regret not remarrying yet after 26 years of living with a good woman. I don’t regret any of my three boys, or the daughter I think I have. But then my God has blessed me and is still blessing me.

I have been blessed with a cat like agility, that has saved my life countless times, I have been blessed with a mind that continually seeks out solutions to complex problems, and I am blessed with some of the best friends a man can have. Some of them are female. In fact I love females. I am not sure I will ever understand you completely, you women, but I know that if it was not for the way you inspire men, Sydney would still be scrub.

If I have one regret it could be that I allowed a younger woman I loved to run off, but I still love her, and she has made her own nest to live in. A study of unrequited love reveals that it drove many geniuses to great heights, and it may well be that this is what God wanted for me.

Regrets, nah. I still have work to do, and I would regret it if I gave up now. I don’t regret loving my God, and the more I learn about him, the humbler I get. He is an absolute genius, and his will be done, not mine. I almost got elected to Parliament once. I so frightened the powers that were, that they stacked the preselection committee with a dozen city types, and I missed out by about three votes, in an absolute blue ribbon safe seat. Actually they did me a favor, because I have seen what a crappy job being a member can be. So I am the colt with no regrets and I am not dead yet

Nope, NO regrets at all, I just can't get into wasting time or emotions on what can't be changed.
I've had an "interesting" life, in the sense of the old Chinese curse, lol, but it has landed me where I am now, and I am happy, so I see nothing I'd want to change, even if I could.
Three wonderful young people call me "Dad", and appear to love me, and that only happened because of all the pain, hospital, gaol, brawls, years of toil, re-building, myself and my life, it was ALL worth it, for that moment when those big wide eyes look up at you and the little smile happens, I'd do it all again, just for that, and I got it thrice!
NO REGRETS!

I thought of another one, gosh this regret thing is like a snowball Foxy! I did not put 6 years of digital family photos and movies on to a disc and my puter broke. Spewing, I don’t think there is an editor that could repeat what I said that day. Actually I haven’t for the last six years either… crap.

I don’t even know if l like cats, I like dogs in general but I think with cats it’s more the individual. But thank you Examinator and if I get there first I’ll try not let on I know you and ruin your chances.

Seriously enjoyed Houllies “throwing in the towel” story. I’m starting to think it was made up.

Pelican I think we might even need a good definition of a “regret” to go on. I sort of figured it was circumstances that left a bad feeling…but maybe that is too general?

I don’t think those are “your” regrets Fractelle, I think you have taken other peoples. I really don’t like reading that the only regrets that are yours are the regret of fun. Apologies if I got it wrong, always hard to understand a message without tone.

Did anyone believe Pericles?

I regret having to copy and paste your name Otokonoko, where did you get it? What is Bed LLD?

You Peter seem to be the most centred person I have ever come across, maybe this is what strong faith gives people, I am a bit jealous of it.

Yabby, I’d like to arrange to meet you one day, you would get such a smack.

What bought me to OLO was the little girl that was taken and Max I think our regrets of not doing better and wanting to improve so we don’t make the same mistakes are not emotions wasted.

Yes, I'm on Maximilion's team. I have no regrets either, after a similarly "interesting" life to date.

Mind you, I had, along the way, to make a conscious decision to achieve that state.

I finally arrived at an analogy (probably not a very original one) between life and a jigsaw puzzle.

When I was younger and, also, at the time certain things were/are happening, all I could see was a disjointed muddle of individual pieces. Even when some of the parts could be seen to click together I couldn't see the overall picture yet emerging.

But once I learned to stand back from the work-in-progress and view it more objectively (hey, it is, after all, only a jigsaw and the day it is completed it will just get scattered all over the table once again for someone else to take over)I began to realise that even the chunks that didn't make sense yet would finally contribute to the whole.

I also gained the confidence to know that the bits I hadn't turned over yet, that still showed their blank cardboard side, would eventually all fit seamlessly in.

So hey, I don't regret starting this particular jigsaw - even though I know it'll never get hung in the Louvre!