Regrets & Remorse: Tales of Missteps and Lessons Learned
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We gather to explore a question that evokes a sense of introspection: What is something you deeply regret doing as a child that still affects you to this day? Let’s unlock the memories that have left a lasting imprint, revealing the ways in which our youthful choices continue to shape our lives. Prepare to uncover personal insights, share in vulnerability, and find solace in the understanding that our past actions can have enduring consequences.
Academic Choices
To start, one Redditor added, “Rather than being parented, I was making life decisions at 6 years old. I said no to going to a gifted school so I would not leave my friends in first grade. I have not seen or spoken to a single one of these “friends” in over 40 years.”
Personal Relationships
A user replied, “I called one of my mom’s ex-boyfriends poor and ugly when I was 9. He didn’t deserve it at all. I was just f*****g mean. He always drove us around in an old Bronco, and I hated it. Now that I’m older, I realize his car was so badass, and he loved it. He only wore “raggedy” clothes because that was his style, and he loved himself some ripped jeans and skater shoes and to be covered in tats.”
Health and Lifestyle Choices
A user simply said, “In middle school, I jumped from the top of a slide and landed flat on the bottom, hurting my back. Pretty sure I’ve never recovered.”
Opportunities Missed
One Redditor replied, “Not applying myself more in my studying in high school.”
Another Redditor commented, “Spending time on sites like Liveleak and Rotten while in elementary school. Sitting at home all day during high school. Not studying while in school and struggling with building discipline today.”
Parent Regrets
A user added, “Ignoring my dad all the times he’d try to teach me things like car maintenance, home repair, etc. Before I stopped speaking to him.”
Words Spoken in Anger
One Redditor replied, “Being really mean to my childhood friends. Every time a little squabble would happen, I would just cut all contact and then pretend like I forgot they existed, I lost every single one of my friends, and it’s still taking a long time to make new ones. I regret not taking the time to figure it out with them instead of being a jerk; it really messed up my social skills.”
Self-Doubt and Missed Opportunities
One comment said, “Not sleeping in my dying father’s bed with him. He asked me to because he didn’t want to be alone. I was 18 at the time and wasn’t prepared for all this. Until the day I die, I will never forgive myself.”
Not Pursuing Passions
A Redditor commented, “Not going on with my education or getting into a career. I have cystic fibrosis. I genuinely didn’t think I’d live long enough, so why waste time and money?”
A second Redditor added, “Giving up on my hobbies because my family told me it wasn’t a viable career choice. And that “artists only became famous after they died.”
Not Standing Up for Oneself
One user wrote, “I regret not having thicker skin and sticking up for myself from my bullies.”
Another user added, “Being too hard on myself, demanding too much, forcing myself to be too mature. I also did a lot of self-harm which caused me to have very low self-esteem.”
Unhealthy Habits Formed
A Redditor replied, “Giving my knees floor burn for fun. I don’t have a clue why I thought it was fun. Now they are in an awful state and completely covered in scars.”
A second Redditor added, “Stop exercising / any kind of working out because I was told my movement is awkward. Tried to shrink myself because I was a tall girl that stood out from other kids, which ruined my posture.”
Ignoring Mental Health Needs
A user added, “When I was 13 or 14, I saw one of my lifelong friends walking down the street, blank stare with her makeup running. I was on my bicycle racing to get home before my 8 pm curfew, so I didn’t stop to talk to her. She committed suicide that night, and I was the last person to see her alive. I went through intense therapy after that, as I was filled with guilt and grief. I still have issues with that guilt today, some 21 years later…“
Hurting Loved Ones
One Redditor replied, Being so mean to my younger sister in our childhood… I often wonder how much I contributed to her current mental health struggles. It eats me alive some days.”
A second Redditor commented, “Not telling my mother about my father’s affair sooner. I was scared of losing one parent because of divorce as a child, so for 7 years, I kept that secret to myself, and when I did tell her.. he had done some horrible stuff to her, which I didn’t know about at the time. I wish I could go back and tell her about it so that he would’ve left our lives sooner.”
Letting Fear Hold You Back
A user said, “My senior year of high school, there was a classmate that sat by himself at lunch every.single.day. I often thought about going to sit with him and never did. My heart still hurts from never doing it, and that was 20 years ago. I can’t find him on social media or anything.”
Not Seeking Help or Support When Needed
One Redditor commented, “My anxiety was so bad I never got to have the high school experience of having friends and going to football games, etc.”
Burning Bridges
Finally, a user replied, “Driving all my friends away in 6th grade and obsessing over the one friend I had in junior high to the point I stopped myself from making other friends.”
Our journey through the land of regrets has come to an end with these Redditors. We’ve delved into the depths of our past mistakes, reflecting on moments we wish we could rewrite. Through shared tales of remorse and lessons learned, we find solace in the knowledge that we’re not alone in our missteps. Let us remember that even amidst the pangs of regret, there is growth and wisdom to be gained.
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