” Danger Will Robinson “
Did you ever watch the tv show “Lost in Space” originally aired in the mid-sixties? The two things I remember about it was that Professor Smith guy (prototype of today’s politicians) and the stupid looking robot they had. Billy Mumy played “Will Robinson”, one of the Robinson family that was piloting a space ship that was lost in outer space. Whenever Will Robinson was about to encounter a dangerous situation, the robot would wave its arms and shout “Danger Will Robinson, Danger.” Well, if you had that robot today he would be saying the same thing to you regarding a very toxic poison that you probably have within your household. It is not in the medicine cabinet. It is not in the basement. It is not in the attic. Nor is it in your garage or shed. It is inside — you. It is called “regret”. Every time that you make the choice to re-activate it, you succeed only in re-infecting yourself and causing harm.
What Is Regret ?
Just what is “regret”. It has been defined as “feeling grief, depression or disappointment over something that you have done or have left undone.” I have always kind of distrusted people who say that they have no regrets. I feel that they are not really telling the truth and display narcissistic tendencies. In Romans 7:15 (NLT), the apostle Paul states, ” I really don’t understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” I guess it’s all part of being a fallible, mortal human being.
Learning Is Magic
Learning is a magical thing. To gain knowledge that will help you to live a richer, fuller life is the essence of learning. If you can learn from the negative results of things that you did (or neglected to do) — if you make effort to apply to the right here and right now what you have learned from the past — then you will be successful in using past mistakes as lessons to create (manifest) good things in the right here and right now — for yourself as well as for others. If you choose to rehash your past mistakes over and over and over again in the form of regret, then you have not learned a damn thing. You will only be successful in creating more bad things in the right here and right now — for yourself and others. Is that what you desire? You would be similiar to the junkie who regrets the addiction but keeps shooting the poison into their veins nonetheless. To paraphrase Clemenza from the movie The Godfather, “Leave the regrets, take the learning”.
The $64,000 Question
So now we get down to the “$64,000 Question” (how’s that for “old school”): how do you stop yourself — from wallowing in counter-productive, toxic regret and start yourself living free from errors and mistakes of the past? To have regrets is one thing — to wallow in them is totally another. When they come into your thoughts, say “Fine. OK You’re here to remind me of something I already very well know but I just don’t have time for you now. I’m busy fulfilling this dream I have with what’s left of my life. So, no disrespect mister regret, but don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” The eternal “now” is the only sure thing that you can work with. Every minute of your life, a “new now” comes along. If you keep grieving over past mistakes you will only succeed in perpetuating them.
What Can You Do About It ?
Sit down and start thinking of what you did in your life that was right and resulted in positive results. Walk away from everything else in your life for a few solid hours and really think deeply about it. When you have come up with something that you can “really hold on to”, write it down. Put it on an index card. Write it on a poster and hang it on your wall. Hang it around your nose if you have to. Scripture states, “Write them on your doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:9 NIV). Whatever manner you choose, keep these things in your mind. Allow the good feeling that they produce to dominate your feelings. Regrets will then have no room to maneuver and along with Elvis, will “have now left the building”. And YOU will then be in a better place to help yourself and help others also. Isn’t that a good thing? There will be more about this whole topic in a future post.