Regrets? I have a few, but then again....

[vito]

Heard the Chairman of the Board on the radio today singing "My Way". It started me thinking about my 77 years on this earth and what regrets I have. Nothing major, as I think I did OK with the big decisions in my life, like finding and marrying the right woman that I am still crazy about 54 years later, having the kids that I have had, deciding to stay as a careerist in the Army, and after many years dismissing my wife's and parent's concerns and admonitions and getting myself my first of many motorcycles. But sometimes the minor stuff comes into my mind, usually when I trying to fall asleep late at night. Never getting my pilot's license is one, never trying a wingsuit is another (although I was already pretty old when these things were invented). Turning down the job offer from the FBI and deciding to stay in the Army as a career officer is a mixture of a nagging regret and a conviction that I made the right choice. Maybe the biggest regret of my life is that as a dumb 15 year old I was determined to look cool and started smoking cigarettes. For over twenty years I was a heavy smoker, and even though I quit at age 36, to some extent I am still paying the price for that stupidity with the damage to my lungs from those years of two to three packs a day. I regret sending my kids to big state universities, although at the time I did not realize how it would change them into leftwing thinkers. I could have done much worse. And I wonder if 77 is really too old to try a wingsuit!

 

[Bob Wright]

Well, I do have a few regrets for some decisions in my life. My biggest regret is that I did not get a better education when it was available to me. I was asked not too long ago who was my best teacher. My reply was that Experience was my teacher, and taught at the School of Hard Knocks.

Bob Wright

 

[Watchman]

Heard the Chairman of the Board on the radio today singing "My Way". It started me thinking about my 77 years on this earth and what regrets I have. Nothing major, as I think I did OK with the big decisions in my life, like finding and marrying the right woman that I am still crazy about 54 years later, having the kids that I have had, deciding to stay as a careerist in the Army, and after many years dismissing my wife's and parent's concerns and admonitions and getting myself my first of many motorcycles. But sometimes the minor stuff comes into my mind, usually when I trying to fall asleep late at night. Never getting my pilot's license is one, never trying a wingsuit is another (although I was already pretty old when these things were invented). Turning down the job offer from the FBI and deciding to stay in the Army as a career officer is a mixture of a nagging regret and a conviction that I made the right choice. Maybe the biggest regret of my life is that as a dumb 15 year old I was determined to look cool and started smoking cigarettes. For over twenty years I was a heavy smoker, and even though I quit at age 36, to some extent I am still paying the price for that stupidity with the damage to my lungs from those years of two to three packs a day. I regret sending my kids to big state universities, although at the time I did not realize how it would change them into leftwing thinkers. I could have done much worse. And I wonder if 77 is really too old to try a wingsuit!

Get that wingsuit.
You might only be sorry one time! :wink:

Seriously, there is nothing so satisfying as pushing your own comfort zone, and living to tell about it!

 

[sfhogman]

Know what you mean...
Get on that bike!
Get on that scooter!
Do that wing suit,
Look back and know that you have done it right.

Jeff
Who is riding fast into coot country

 

[Cholo]

I save a lot of inspirational memes. My favorite one is: If not now, when?

Get the wingsuit! Keep making memories! HW Bush went skydiving on his 90th (I believe) birthday. Do it!

After you conquer that, you can learn how to make paragraphs LOL :mrgreen:

 

[contender]

Since we are talking wingsuits,, I'll throw in my 0.02 worth.

I'd love to try one. And when we first saw one & such,, I made that same comment. Miss Penny said; "I don't demand much,, but I'm gonna demand that you NOT do it."
So,, while I would enjoy it,, I'm also aware of the need for training & proper use of one. And,, while I'm only 62 & in pretty good health,, I'll respect Miss Penny's wishes.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I think most of us can look back and realize that we do have some level of regrets. I know I can. But wearing a wingsuit is not going to be one of them. :mrgreen:

 

[powder smoke]

Regrets never thought much about it! May ponder that a bit and see what I think!
Thing is tho if I never really gave it much thought why do it now? Life is
full of Coulda shoulda woulda if that is what your talking about! I do not play that game!
The past is the past I leave it alone! ps

 

[Dave P.]

And I wonder if 77 is really too old to try a wingsuit!

No, I guarantee that gravity and aerodynamics don't care how
old you are, they'll still apply just fine.
Dave

 

[Johnnu2]

No regrets here.... I personally believe that everything happens EXACTLY the way it's supposed to happen.......

IMHO of course,
J.

 

[Paul B]

"Experience was my teacher, and taught at the School of Hard Knocks."

Ya, and me too. I graduated with flying colors, BLACK and BLUE.

Biggest regret? I never got to do a Cape Buffalo hunt in Africa with my Ruger #1 .375 H&H.
Paul B.

 

[RoninPA]

Never saw the need/reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane nor to jump off some high point and try to glide my way to a safe landing

I get tore up enough just playing with our cat (who at times thinks he's a tiger). But that's my own fault, we play pretty rough at times and my wife just says (when I'm bleeding) "It's your own fault" I agree, smile at the cat, and go nurse my wounds.

 

[NH Rugerman]

I have a regret that I wasn’t born 30-40 years earlier so that I wouldn’t have to witness first hand what has happened to beloved country....

 

[Kevin]

I'm not sure I believe people when they say they don't have any regrets. Major regrets sure, but there must be something nagging any individual about choices they've either made in the past, or haven't made yet.

I have a few regrets, like never having a career job. I just sort of floated around from one industry to another. I didn't stick with any one thing. Not a regret so much as "...if only..." OR -- perhaps it's more accurate to say, I've got a list of things I'd like to do, and it's not complete yet.

We did move to Texas. I tell my daughter she moved here when she was 3, I had to wait 40 some odd years first. Honestly, that was one item on my life list. I'm not sure what else is on the list specifically, I haven't ever written it out on paper.

As for wing suits? No thanks. I did ride as a passenger in a glider plane once. That was fun, but I don't think I'd go up again.

 

[bogus bill]

Almost two months ago I was put on hospice so I have been doing some thinking on the subject. I feel something like a well used pin ball. Life knocked around so much I cant remember all the knocks. I had a lot of them but almost all of them I got myself into and the Lord got me out of them but bruised and poorer. I barely got through high school so was just a laborer. I was single many years, got married the First time in my late thirty's and that only lasted four years, divorced for 17 years and married again. That was many years as a single man to play boy.
My thing was motorcycles, airplanes, guns & shooting and gambling. Girls too.
I think my regret is I didn't ride, fly and shoot my toys more than I did while I had them when I was able to.
Of course I would be far more careful the next time.

 

[Kevin]

Of course I would be far more careful the next time

Oh, come on, that wouldn’t be as much fun and you know it. Besides, you wouldn’t have any good stories to share. I know I’ve liked your posts, bet others have as well.

 

[ned]

Long time skydiver ....you have put in a lot of time to fly a wing suite but I bet there is an indoor skydiving tower near you or a tandem jump at almost any drop zone. There is a group of skydivers over 60, over 70 and a smallish group over 80....top off your bucket list. Maybe take a flight in an aerobatic plane too

 

[blackhawknj]

If I had it to do over again I'd be a lot more careful in choosing my parents.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

As Waylon said, "If I'd known I was gonna live this long I'd have taken better care of myself."

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I have a regret that I wasn’t born 30-40 years earlier so that I wouldn’t have to witness first hand what has happened to beloved country....

+1 This whole thing saddens and angers me.

 

[bobski]

I regret not attending college sooner, learning high math, and being a pilot in the military.
but I settled for jumping out of aircraft and saving their hides packing parachutes.

I regret spending so much time and money on vanity, when I should have been investing in the life to come.

I regret investing so much time in people who I thought cared about me.