Regrets, I've had a Few...
By Vivenda
@Vivenda (583)
Portsmouth, England
December 13, 2015 10:10am CST
…and here are some I’d like to mention!
I reached 67 back in October and, although I’m not ready to pass on to the next stage yet, I have to accept that I have more years behind me on earth than I have in front of me. So, what do I most regret not having done?
First of all, some of the most important people in my life have been a grandfather who served in the regular army at the time of the Boar War, a great aunt who was a suffragette, an uncle who was rescued from Dunkirk, another who was commissioned on the field (whatever that means!) during the African campaign in WW2, and a father who was in the Burma campaign. Did I ask them enough about these events while they were alive? Of course I didn’t! For one thing, these things weren’t really distant history when I was small – and, anyway, I was too young to know what to ask!
On a more intimate note, I probably talked more to my paternal grandmother than did anyone else now left alive. We’re not a big family. I only have one first cousin on each side, each of whom is more into family history than I am, and my father’s nephew keeps asking me questions that I know I should be able to answer but I just can’t remember. I wish I’d paid more attention!
Another regret is that I didn’t learn to drive. I’m sure I’ve missed out a lot because of this. Even now, there are things I don’t join because I can’t get to the venues without Rik ferrying me around.
In a way, I wish I’d never studied Greek to A level. It pulled all my other subjects down and, at one level, I’d have to say that it hasn’t been much use to me. However, I think that my understanding of linguistics (a minor passion of mine) is richer because of it, and it has also helped me to guess at meanings of words in English, French and Spanish, so it can’t be said to be a complete waste of time!
Well, I guess these are my major regrets. Apart from not having been beautiful, athletic, and artistic, that is. I sometimes wish I’d gone further with music studies, but that’s a very minor thing.
What do you regret?
9 people like this
9 responses
@Vivenda (583)
• Portsmouth, England
18 Dec 15
I'm not that talented, Muses. I studied Latin and French because everyone did in my school, and went on to learn Classical Greek instead of German because our German teacher was in the habit of describing her pupils as "plum puddings without any plums in them"! My written work is always much better than my oral or aural.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
15 Dec 15
I never learned to drive but then it didn't turn out to be a bad thing because I never had the money to buy a car. I regret I never went to university sooner than I did, but I don't regret going. I am not happy in general with the way my life turned out.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47121)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
13 Dec 15
I know my husband wished he had asked more questions and paid more attention to what his grandparents said. I should be asking my grandmother more questions, but unfortunately I don't always get the chance. And, of course, when I'm talking to her, I forget to ask.
1 person likes this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
13 Dec 15
Like you one of the things that I regret is that I did not ask as many questions as I should have. It is not until they are gone that you realise that there are things that you will never know now because you did not ask about them when you could have.
1 person likes this
@Daljinder (23233)
• Bangalore, India
30 Jan 16
I regret losing touch with a friend of mine and not trying hard enough....
My grandmother had told us so many stories of her younger days... Its her habit of telling those while conversing about daily life things... Now more often than not they get repetitive but ws still listen coz it makes her happy and sometimes we tease her and repeat the story ourself to her.... So no regret in that
department..... yet
