"I regret not pushing myself harder in school. I honestly never prepared for the future. I remember time and again, teachers and guidance counselors would ask, 'Where do you see yourself in five years?' At the time, I probably would have said sarcastically at the bar or club. Sadly, as I lived to party, I never thought how important a great education is - having a good job and a decent lifestyle, not struggling all the dam time."
"But the year my mother passed away, I was always reaching for the phone to talk with her, to hear her voice just one more time, only to realize I would never again on this planet hear her give her advice or to say, 'I love you.' Even now, I miss her so much. She's been gone for nearly 15 years, and there are days when her absence is so overwhelmingly felt that I break down and cry because there's nothing else I can do."
"I took for granted my physical self in my 20s and 30s. And yes, I'd hear it from people who were my current age (50s) to take care of myself, but I figured their aches and pains and saggy parts were all because they ALWAYS looked that way. Nope, 50 pounds heavier from menopause and learning that cutting back on a few calories won't help me shed five pounds in a week, as well as regret"
Regrets arise from not prioritizing education and future preparation, choosing partying over long-term stability, and facing later financial and lifestyle consequences. Grief from taking parents for granted creates enduring sorrow, intense longing for lost conversations, and ongoing emotional pain that resurfaces even years later. Physical-health regrets include neglecting the body in younger decades, confronting weight gain and menopausal changes later, and discovering that small early efforts could have eased later struggles. The combined experiences stress prioritizing long-term planning, cherishing family time while loved ones are present, and maintaining consistent attention to health and self-care.
Read at BuzzFeed
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