Regrets, Anyone?

Has anything from your past ever come back to haunt you?

Maybe it was a really bad hairstyle or an outfit that you wore that noone let you forget about! It could have been an old boyfriend/girlfriend that you wish had never happened. Or a pair of eye-glasses that you wore. Not because of bad vision, but to make a "fashion" statement!

I used to wear this pair of glasses in the 80's. My vision was perfect (at the time!) 20/20, but I thought I looked sophisticated, smart and chic, so I wore them everywhere! They were bigger than my face! I don't know why, but I've kept these in my "secret" drawer for over 20 years. I've just never been able to part with them. I discovered recently that my drawer is not so "secret" after all when Kolby decided to bring those old glasses out to embarrass her mommy and showed them off to a friend! What could I do? Deny it? Problem is, hard to deny past regrets when there are pictures to prove it! Never happened to you? So, it's just me, then?!

I try hard not to dwell on the past. I remind myself that EVERYTHING in life that happens to us, good or bad, is a learning experience. Provided we learn, of course. Those of you who know me personally could attest to the fact that I'm a pretty positive person. It doesn't matter what's going on in my life, I do my best to see the cup as half full, rather than half empty. That's just me.

But, sometimes, it's not as easy as I'd like it to be. I'm so thankful that I serve a God who forgives and forgets. Unfortunately, many people are like elephants. They have a hard time forgiving or forgetting anything. This is why we must be careful who we share our lives or secrets with.

I believe we need to spend more time focusing on the fact that who we are today has been shaped by who we used to be, our mistakes, decisions we've made and circumstances we've faced. Just like all of you, I've been through my own "stuff" in the past. Good, bad, indifferent. If I find myself drifting off to a place that I would rather forget or beating myself up for it, I go through this little routine. I take a breath, get a grip, stop, pray and then let it go. And if it creeps up again. Repeat.

I like to remind myself of where I am today and how I got here. I don't know about you, but it's much easier to live with regrets when you've come out on the other side feeling good about yourself, what you've accomplished in life and how you perservered through all of it! Yes, I have some regrets and I wish I could have some "do overs"! But it is what it is.

All in all, I am who I am today because of my past, where I've been, or who I've known. Maybe we should try to embrace our pasts, rather than allow them to consume us. At 43, I'm sure of one thing. I'm sure that until the day I die, I will make more mistakes and experience more regrets. It's inevitable.

So, give me a break. Give yourself a break. And, please. No pictures!