Another year of regrets...

Today I celebrate my 31st birthday, but feel like I should be turning 18.  As time quickly marches forward, I find myself reflecting backwards.  Thinking of all the good and bad things I have experienced in the 372 months I have been on this Earth, that's right - I had the audacity to say that amount of months.  You could say Birthdays are a cathartic.

People say life is too short for regrets but I have a hard time with this.

re·gret

[ri-gret]

VERB (USED WITH OBJECT) [RE·GRET·TED, RE·GRET·TING.]

1.

to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.

If we never regretted something we said, or something we did, than learning from our mistakes seems impossible.  I don't think having 'regrets' is a productive emotion but I do think it allows us to reflect on what or who is important to us.  I believe I would be a lonely person if I didn't regret anything I said or did.  I also believe I would be completely oblivious if I didn't live with regret.  To me, living without it means I wouldn't have the capacity to learn, change and become a better person. Not saying everybody should go out and do things they will regret, but if you do - don't regret the regret!?

What a debbie downer of posts - but today, my birthday present to myself is to be grateful for everything in my life.  For my experiences. For my friends.  For my family.  For my loved ones.  For my regrets...because without them, I wouldn't be growing up.