Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET…
“Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh.” Henry David Thoreau
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... Loss opens the door to memories of what could have been...
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... for the unknown soldier...
Definition of REGRET: To mourn the loss or death of: to miss very much: to be very sorry for: to experience regret Merrian-Webster Dictionary
Top 5 Regrets People Have on Their Deathbed
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
Regret always comes in hindsight… We regret the thing after the fact; loved ones gone, a dying warrior on the battlefield, a missed opportunity, kind words withheld, vicious words expressed, lingering resentments unresolved. In the end, the greater lesson learned is that life is full of regrets, but the difference between those who grow and those who don’t is the ability to move forward… Mourn. Heal. Press on.
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Alexander Graham Bell
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... the closed door
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... Did you focus on the closed red door or the open gate?
“It took me less than half a lifetime to realize that regret is one of the few guaranteed certainties. Sooner or later everything is touched by it, despite our naive and senseless hope that just this time we will be spared its cold hand on our heart.” Jonathan Carroll
At some crucial point in our lives, we come across a closed door. The door might be a gift or a curse; it all depends on how we choose to look at it and how we choose to respond to it. Could that door be the reminder we needed to take a new path? Was that door an indication that we had reached our natural limit? And while we linger, regretfully, at the closed door, have we considered that there is a blessing elsewhere? The second picture shows another way we view life; there is a closed red door after the open gate and sometimes, we miss the gate for the door. We focus on what isn’t available while ignoring what is there for us. In the ruins are other exits, other doorways to our dreams.
“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” Mercedes Lackey
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... What if... a different life?
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... What if... a different gig?
“I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations – one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it – you will regret both.” Soren Kierkegaard
We all have “What If” moments in our lives… or if only things were different moments. Times of indecision about which direction to take, regret over our current condition or even forced circumstances make us wonder. Either way we look at it, regret is an emotion that makes us pause and wonder about our lives and how to make it better. Maybe the Zoo held Gorilla will be happy in the wild and the subway station musician at Carnegie Hall, but who knows? Either way, there will be regrets somewhere on the journey, so be strong. More Below 😉
“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.” Sydney Smith
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... Did the owner regret the loss of a vest or of an arm?
“I have no regrets. I wouldn’t have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were going to say.” Ingrid Bergman
Have you ever washed a favorite sweater by accident, only to find out that it has shrunk 3-4 sizes and could only fit a doll? We regret our oversight in putting the sweater in the dryer or washer. We think back to the wonderful memories we enjoyed in that sweater and, perhaps, the exorbitant price we paid for it. But nothing can compare to the loss of the owner of that ancient chainmaile vest above… Did he live to miss his sweater or, by its condition, did he miss his sweater over his missing arm? If we can imagine a worse case scenario each time a regret comes up, we can move forward a tad faster. Mourn. Heal. Press on. It’s all about perspective. Isn’t it? Tempus Fugit.
“Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.” George Sand
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... the past, enjoy the present and embrace the future
Weekly Photo Challenge: REGRET... look at the pictures, then mourn, heal, and press on
Why do what you will regret? Why bring tears upon yourself? Do only what you do not regret, And fill yourself with joy. Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Gautama Buddha
Regret and loss are inevitable. As long as there is life in this world, there will be regrettable incidents and the death of a dream or a belief held dear. Staying focused on what good we can enjoy now, and making the best effort to lighten our load of sadness is a healthier road to take. Instead of living a life of massive regrets, spend some time on the problem, revisit the small photos and then the big picture, forgive your error in judgement, forgive the other, hug yourself and then step forward affirming the positive. Shed the regrets, and let them float away. Shed the tears, and let the river of comfort wash them away. Then press on. What are your thoughts? What photos depicting REGRET did you find? Was it easy/hard to find photos for your examples of Regret? Were you drawn to specific examples for the prompt? Do share? Thank you! 🙂 😉
My fellow bloggers were equally creative with their selections too. I listed several below. Check out how other bloggers interpreted the theme REGRET below. ***
This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: Weekly Photo Challenge: Regret Share a picture that means REGRET to you!
Positive Motivation Tip: Regret your woes, mourn them, heal them, and then move on… Tempus Fugit.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos from my personal collection.
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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Well written and great photos! Thank you for pingback! 🙂
Thank you Britten! Loved your post too. 🙂
This is a great take on regret ElizOf 🙂
“make the most of your regrets” … yes we need to learn from our regrets and try not to repeat that and never to smother in sorrows. to grow from our regrets.
Absolutely lovely photos.
And now I am wihing I had used my photos from our cemetry here in the Maldives … well, I guess I’ll save it for another time 🙂
Thank you Amira! You will have another opportunity to use them I’m sure. I’ve had many regrets in my life and learned huge lessons about letting go from them. It touched a nerve and I wanted to excise it by responding right away. No lingering, no regrets. Interesting right? 🙂
“Do only what you do not regret”: Buddha spoke very tough. Too tough. I prefer Kierkegaard: “Do it or do not do it – you will regret both.”
I love them both… Yet, I understand your preference. No regrets. 😉
A very touching and thought provocative post, Elizabeth. You’ve added some insightful quotes to the photo theme, too. Great post! Thank you for the pingback to my entry. 🙂
I’m going to Reblog your entry to my blog.
TY dear one! I loved yours too… It can be a tough subject but one we can all relate to on some level. TY for the re-blog too…. much appreciated. 🙂
Lovely look at regret, Elizabeth.
TY Robyn, we all have some in our baggage. 😉
Reblogged this on Changeversations and commented:
A touching and thought provoking post with insightful quotes added. Thank you!
Thank you again for your kindness… Be blessed! 🙂
Great post, very thought provoking. Thank you.
TY for your feedback Louise! 🙂
Boy, talk about waking up and being thrown into scrutinizing my life! (I normally read you in the early a.m.) Wonderfully written post, Eliz. I love the quote by Bell.
TY Freedom… You are always so kind and enthusiastic… We should have breakfast sometime! I’m groggy in the morning. 😆
Ahhhhh…. regret. Yet another one of those emotions that keeps us stuck and makes us vulnerable to all sorts who claim to have ‘the answer.’
Yeah, I hear you Rumpydog! Life is full of sadness, joy, regrets and more. The answer is in us. TY! 😉
Very much liked your post. Thank you for sharing it!
Well done! So thought provoking. I struggled with this challenge as I don’t tend to dwell in the land of regrets, part of the Pollyanna personality. Really appreciated your perspective on the closed/open door. Too many I know have done that.
Thanks for the post enjoyed reading it this morning.
Paige
You did an excellent job portraying regret, especially in the 1st photo. To me the tombstones mark so many “what could have beens”, if not for the tragedy of war. Truly a regret for all of humanity. I was also amused reading through your ‘if’s. When I first started my own blog, and didn’t have a clue as to where to start, I wrote a little ditty on the power of the word ‘if’. If and regret do somehow go hand in hand it seems.
Moving, powerful, thoughtprovoking. The compassion behind your wrting touched me and I shed a tear for all my regrets. Reading your post was like an eary morning blessing.
B
A wonderful, well-written post Elizabeth. Thank you. Especially poignant are the “Top 5 Regrets People Have on Their Deathbed.” Hopefully, death won’t knock on my door for many years, but I’m slowly working toward not having – at least these five – regrets.
Wonderful entry for this week’s challenge!
I don’t regret my life choices . . . for they led me to this door. 😀
Excellent photo choices for Regret, Eliz. Your writing and quotes are spot-on and well done. I enjoyed reading it! Great post!
You leave no stone unturned in this post. Regret can take many forms, and we all suffer from it one way or another.
A really astounding post Elizabeth, moving, wise and thought provoking. Very well done!
Great post Elizabeth. We all, no matter how optimistic we may be on most days, have regrets at times. It’s moving on and not dwelling on the negative that makes all the difference.
Thanks!
b
What a beautiful post…so beautiful I felt a bit of sadness in my heart knowing they are all true and in a lot of them I experienced as well. Don’t we all. But pass the regrets, we have another chance to follow the next open door. Perhaps there we get a second chance . it’s never too late for as long as we are breathing. This lingered in my thoughts, “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
Thank you. Wishing you all life’s sweet blessings…
Nice post.
That top 5 list for the tombstones was very powerful.
Great blog on regret Elizabeth. Thank you. It has given me much to think about today. 😀
DAMN FINE BLOG POST! absolutely top notch! I love every single bit of it! Regret is something I was toying with.. was I filled with them? that was the question I was clearing up with myself just last week! Now we have it as the challenge!!!!! well done and thank you for such a wonderful submission.. TEN POINTS TO YOU!!!
Thank you, Eliz…inspiring quotes, magnificent photos, healing words!
Sorry I haven’t been by to comment recently…life has gotten much busier since the Parenting Magazine hit the street…in a good way. 🙂 But I’ve missed reading your posts…they always uplift me and motivate me to remember what it’s all about…making the best choices we can at the each moment in time and striving to make every connection a positive and loving one. 🙂
Very thought provoking post.
I love Graham Bell’s quote. It tells a lot about our way of thinking. We remember more the negativity in our life than its positivity and that’s how regrets form… Yeah move on: it’s the best thing to do 🙂
Beautiful. I don’t have a lot of regrets–I’m thank for that. I find that while I am still living I can often rectify past mistakes, especially if it simply involves making apologies and doing my best to re-route past decisions. I do try to keep short accounts…Debra
What a face that gorilla has . . . just a random thought. 🙂
My keeper words are: . . . “hug yourself and then step forward affirming the positive. Shed the regrets, and let them float away. Shed the tears, and let the river of comfort wash them away. Then press on.”
All we need to know in those words. Thank you!
It is rather a sad challenge this week. I have read a number of contributions now and most of them are emotional and sad in one way or another. I suppose it is difficult to couple regret with happiness. However, the shrunken jumber did make me smile. I have read and re-read this piece, there is so much that I can identify with at the moment. I am tempted to go through the gate and knock on the red door!
Great entry my friend 🙂
Wow–great set of photos for the topic of Regret. Would never have thought of those things!! You are always on your toes, Eliz!
This one is the most beautiful post, i read in your blog till now, Great job with this post Elizabeth. Everything about this post is so beautiful; the words, the photographs and also the quotes. “At some crucial point in our lives, we come across a closed door.”- this part I liked a lot. Thank you for this post. 🙂
Nice choices, Elizabeth.
AG Bell’s quote is instructive – regret need not always remain so
Reblogged this on AbstractUnknownBoy and commented:
This is a very in depth and thought provoking response to the ‘regret’ theme for the weekly photo challenge.
TY so much for re-blogging my post. I will visit your blog to comment and thank you! Glad to connect with you too. 🙂
Regret means looking back. Looking back faces us into shadow.
They are all wonderful interpretations of regret. I love your thoughts on these 🙂
Inspiring!