Legacy. As you age, what do you think you're leaving behind? What will others see?

[SunGrins]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

Many people age with many regrets.

Life is a chain of personal choices on an uneven playing field. You choose your friends, your mate, your work, your life, your values. Sometimes things intrude that you cannot control -- you get drafted, your company shuts down, disease or death of a family member. You make the best choices you can at the time (as you perceive them) and move forward knowing that something out of your control could change everything in an instant. Opportunities come and go. You can regret choices but can't go back to 'fix' it -- you do better next time. At the end of the day you are what you are....the product of your choices. Hindsight is most helpful if you will face the same choices under the same circumstances again... that doesn't happen. You learn what you can and move on. Why be regretful?

Reminds me of Brando's character, Terry Malloy, who had that famous line from On the Waterfront: "You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it." Given his opportunities, could Terry Malloy have "been somebody" if he made other choices? Maybe. He was at the end of the story.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by SunGrins

Life is a chain of personal choices on an uneven playing field. You choose your friends, your mate, your work, your life, your values. Sometimes things intrude that you cannot control -- you get drafted, your company shuts down, disease or death of a family member. You make the best choices you can at the time (as you perceive them) and move forward knowing that something out of your control could change everything in an instant. Opportunities come and go. You can regret choices but can't go back to 'fix' it -- you do better next time. At the end of the day you are what you are....the product of your choices. Hindsight is most helpful if you will face the same choices under the same circumstances again... that doesn't happen. You learn what you can and move on. Why be regretful?

Reminds me of Brando's character, Terry Malloy, who had that famous line from On the Waterfront: "You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it." Given his opportunities, could Terry Malloy have "been somebody" if he made other choices? Maybe. He was at the end of the story.

Very wise words.

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda" are words that don't amount to anything yet they crop up all the time in people's lives.

Also there's the saying that defines the difference between the types of friends and family, "There is the family you are born into and the friends who are the family you choose to keep."

You make the choices you are able to make and try to make the best of those that are made for you.

[chanaf]

And I believe that Terry Malloy was only a has-been because he decided he was, he decided he was at the end of his story. I suppose it was to late for that particular dream -- and I'm unlikely to be an Olympic gymnast no matter how hard I try from here but he could have decided on a new dream, a new story. Instead he choice to forever look back and dwell on the tide that never came in. I choose to turn and look ahead. Plenty of time, plenty to do. Who knows?