Food for Thought: Regrets Worth Avoiding

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ? Albert Einstein

A new year has embraced us with its twists and turns being revealed along the way. Happiness and sorrow are like punctuation marks in the sentence of life just as summer and winter define the seasons. But through all the seasons of life, one thing we can do is to learn from those who have gone before us and reduce the unnecessary burdens we may carry so we travel light on this journey.

This brings to mind the insightful revelations made to a palliative nurse as she conversed with patients in their last moments whilst on their deathbed. The result of this experience over several years was filtered resulting in the book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware.

Guess what made the list? The quest for wealth, fame, wild parties, sex ...were absent. The key regrets:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

Living to please others instead of our own values is a tragedy which spells failure. In the end, the unfulfilled dreams stare us in the face, but alas with no health at our disposal it becomes too late.

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.

The best things in life are for free, loved ones inclusive. When life is ebbing away, people do not wish they had spent more time at the office making money but relish more time with their loved ones.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

We often ignore our emotions just to keep peace with others. The outcome is that we settle for a second best instead of what we are really capable of. Ultimately, we gnash our teeth as we are plagued with illness due to the pain and anger we bear.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry misses his friends on the deathbed and the memories they bring. The most significant things in life are not the material things we accumulate but these rare gems called friends, so give your friendships the time and effort they deserve.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Happiness is a choice not dependent on circumstances but our attitudes.

What would your biggest regret be if this was your last day of life? Then guess what ? ;

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,

Love like you'll never be hurt,

Sing like there's nobody listening,

And live like it's heaven on earth.” William W. Purkey

Submitted by Felix Kwabena Donkor

Aalborg-Denmark