Regrets...I've got a few

After my last post (You ARE Better Than Me), I just wanted to remind anyone that read it (including myself) that it was written tongue in cheek.  No one is better than me; and I am better than no one.  We are all flesh and blood.  Even Adolph Hitler and Mother Theresa were formed from the same basic elements.

Although I don't think I am better than any one person or vice versa, I do have a few regrets in life.  If I knew then what I know now...

There is no great time machine, but if I had the chance to make a few changes, I would.

Now obviously I can't change the world.  I couldn't have the son that I have now 5 years earlier. (Although that would have been helpful so that my son could have gotten to know his great grandparents.) I couldn't stop Superstorm Sandy from hitting the Jersey Shore, but I could have my parents pack up the things that meant the most to them and carry them back north.  I know we couldn't save everything; the damage to the house would be done, but if we could have saved some photo albums.  And I know I couldn't have stopped my brother from dying.  But I could have tried to encourage him to work for better health; I could have talked to him more often.  Most importantly I could have let him know just how much I loved him.

Armed with the experiences life has handed me up to this point, if I could go back and give myself a few tips I would.  Such as:

• Don't be so scared.  Try new things. Travel to new places even if you do so alone. There's a wonderful world out there to explore and it is a bit scary, but you can do it.

•  Reach out to friend people who aren't in your "circle."  If they reject you, so what.  But you might be surprised.

• You might want to rethink that career path.

• You're good at saving, but you need to save more.  There are going to be some tough times and you can never be too prepared.  You won’t' believe what gas prices are going to be.

• Don't bother with all the infertility stuff.  It's too much time, money and pain and it’s not going to work out anyway.  

• Follow the motto of "If it smells/tastes bad/wrong get rid of it."  Doesn't just apply to food.  Go with your gut more often.  Or as Obi Wan said, "Trust the Force."

• Everything in moderation!  That means food, drink and exercise.  You'll find that it works.  (Oh, and try to get your loved ones to do the same; it might keep them healthier.)

Of course, knowing myself, I probably wouldn't take my advice.  But I wish I had the ability to give it.  I'm happy with where my life is today, but think I might be a tad bit happier if I could have "tweaked" a few things along the road.  Or maybe I wouldn't have, but it's worth thinking about.