What If You Could Get Your Regret Wish Granted?

Listening to Phillip ranting about all of the wrong things he did in his past.

“I am sorry I did this, and I am sorry I did that. I regret saying yes to her and should have said no to him. If only I could get a second chance to change everything! I am willing to give up everything I own to anyone who can take me back in time to change all the wrongs I did!”

I listen with a third ear for more than ten minutes. Then, I grabbed my magic wand/pencil and asked, “You are willing to give up all of your three houses, two cars, and other earthly possessions for a second chance to right all of the wrongs you did?”

He nodded in agreement.

“Stand up,” I ordered, waving the wand/pencil in the air. “I will grant your regretful wish.”

He shifted his eyes to me, without turning his head, and asked, “Really?”

I nodded and explained, “I know voodoo or obeah, but there are certain questions you need to answer first.”

“Ok,” he agreed.

“All of your earthly possessions, did you get them before or after you did all of the wrong things?” I inquired.

He thought for a while, then said, “After. I made lots of stupid mistakes, but after doing time in prison, I learn my lessons and changed my life.”

“So, your wealth is from hard work, blood, sweat, sacrifice, and tears?”

“Oh yes!” he quickly said. “Six years in prison was hell, and I vow to do nothing that would take me back there.”

“What about your wife, children, family, and friends? Were they before or after?” I interrogated.

“I was so stupid before that I destroyed all of the good things in my life. After prison, I became sensible and held on to all of the love, kindness, and goodness that came my way,” he explained.

“So, you have the life you want now?”

He nods.

“When I grant your regretful wish, you are aware that changing one part of your life changes every part,” I said, giving him direct eye contact.

“What!” he almost shouts.

“Changing your yes to no and your no to yes changes your route, putting you on a different path, thus forcing you to make other decisions,” I explain life in real time to him.

“You mean if I go back to change things, the outcome of my life might be different?” he asked in shock.

“Not might, it will be different. You see, you already know what you have. If you change your route, you won’t know what the outcome will be until you reach there,” I warn him.

“So, I will be giving up sure for unsure?” he asked as his common sense finally kicks in.

“You have learned from the mistakes of your past. Clean up your life and are living better, so why are you holding on to the things you do that taught you vital life lessons that allowed change?” I demand.

He stared at me in awe, then asked, “You are saying that since I learned from my mistakes and have changed my life positively, I have already paid the price and am using regrets to torture myself?”

“Wow!” I exclaimed. “Your way sounds better than mine.”

“What was your way?” he asked seriously.

“If you learn from your mistakes and change your life, then regrets can’t harm you,” I said. “Good and evil make up our world, giving us a choice. Sometimes we have to go on the wrong road to get to the right one.”

He smiled at me, then shared, “I like this way of thinking. You are right too. The wrong road took me to the right one. A painful one, too.”

I smiled, “See, when you learn from your mistakes, you won’t repeat them, and there will be no more room for regrets to foster.”

Silence held for a while, then I asked, “Still want to use your regret wish?”

“Hell no!” he burst out in laughter.

Many humans torture themselves, wishing to go back in time to change their mistakes. Unaware that if they learn from their mistakes and make amends, regrets can’t harm them. Annelise Lords

Learn from all your mistakes, make amends, and regret will fear you. Annelise Lords

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.