Starry Night

Breathtaking sunset driving back to Kansas City this evening. Made me wish for a nice camera to capture such moments. It made me reflect on a previous trip across the state, when I had the desire to stop at one of the many "dark" exits in western Missouri, drive a mile or so off the highway and gaze at the stars. Regretful am I that I didn't take the time when I had the chance.

Regret is a funny thing. As defined, it is either something to feel distressed about, or something that one looks back on with loss. People often talk of having "no regrets". It might be terribly cliche, but it seems to me that having at least some regrets is not a bad thing. Dwelling on them, however, is truly a failing. Not being able to see beyond the immediate effects can lead to a "downcast" outlook.

Recently, a fellow "unattached" acquaintence asked if I was, like him, having trouble meeting nice girls. "Nice" in his case meant women who were willing to sit down and have a conversation longer than two or three sentences. He also regretted that he didn't take advantage of previous relationships that, in retrospect, turned out to be pretty good! In his words, "I don't regret what I did, though."

Part of my response was that there are plenty of nice women out there, a fact which I have proof of: friends and acquaintences have, almost to a man, married fine examples! Whether or not they deserve such luck is a subject I'm not qualified to answer. At least, not if I wish to continue having free access to the cookie jar when I visit.

And no, "cookie jar" is not a metaphor. It is a baked-goods container.

Regret: noun. A feeling of disappointment about something one wishes could be different.

Aha! Who now can claim no regrets? Regrets are byproducts of striving for improvement. To regret is to feel that further development is possible, but not achieved. One can just as easily regret not turning down the thermostat before a trip as ruing a love lost to carelessness.