Regrets...

Today as I was driving home from a visit with my mom, I had many thoughts running through my head. I was thinking about my regrets. I came to the conclusion that truly the only regrets I have are the fears I never faced. The sad part is... now it's too late to face them. The time has passed. My children are grown.

I was thinking about some of the mistakes I've made in my life. I was thinking about some of the sad times, the nervous times, the happy times... you get the picture. As I reminisced through my younger years, for some reason, some of the things I feared in my twenties kept coming to mind. These fears brought regret because I never faced them.

Since then, I have learned that the only way to overcome my fears is to face them. I no longer have the fears I had in my twenties, but it's not because I faced them. It's because time has passed, & they are no longer relevant. The things that troubled me then are no longer issues.

Why am I sad about this? Because I didn't deal with them. I never faced them, & as a result, I didn't grow from them. I let them dictate my life, & therefore, I missed out on the strength that comes from facing your fears. I missed out on learning from them & making every moment as a parent count. I believe I cheated not only myself but my family too. However, I was too blinded with my own fears to see.

Hindsight, of course, is always better. Now, the picture is clear. The damage is done. I can only apologize to others who were affected by my unfaced fears. Thus, I have regrets. As I continue this journey called life, I face my fears, & I want my daughters to see the value in doing so. I want them to be courageous & face their fears. I wish someone would have told me this when I was young.