Regrets

Yes, this says, "Those were the droids you were looking for." 
This is not one of my regrets, but I did think it was funny.

I've been trying to think of other lessons that I learned when the girls were little.  Time flies so quickly, and memory dims.  One thing I do know, is that I have regrets.  I'm human.  There are so many times when I wish I had been more patient, or loving.  I wish I had put my book down more.  I wish I had listened better, and given more hugs.  I wish I could have done better at not feeling overwhelmed by responsibility so that I could have enjoyed those I felt responsible for more.

Regrets are normal since I am imperfect.  But what is the best way to deal with them?  I feel guilty multiple times for each mistake I make, and each imperfection that I have.  I have beaten myself over the head with them, felt sorry about them, and cried about them.  However, I have found that the most productive thing I can do with my mistakes and imperfections is to learn from them, and to move on. 

Sometimes when I am down I dredge up all of the old regrets and start feeling bad about them again.  It is times like this that I remember to chant in my head the words, "Don't look back, don't you ever look back!"  This only works if I know that I have done what I can to undo any harm I might have caused.  It is okay to apologize to our children (or others) when we goof.  It is good for them to know that we are learning too, and that we recognize that sometimes we fall short.  It is okay for them to learn that we have regrets, and to see that something we regret can cause us to learn, and to do better next time.
**Picture from Google Images