Regrettably yours....

I have been slacking on here lately! I swear! I started this totally gung-ho, like "My goal is to post something worth reading everyday!" Then it moved on to, "Ok, this is harder than I thought, maybe something mildly entertaining every other day, will do..." Now, it's all like, "Crap! I forgot to write in the Blog last night.....again!" Usually thought the morning after I have passed out while putting the kids to bed. I plan to do better, just probably not his week, considering there will be camping involved the next few days, and I will be out of touch.

(I can pretty much guarantee that this is how it will be.....)

Anyway......

I have tried very hard to live my life without regrets. I don't believe in doing things to test the waters, and see how it turns out. I think things through, watch other people's trail and error, and either scrap the whole thing based on a "what if" possibility, or proceed with extreme caution. You may think I'm missing out on things in life....I don't see it that way. I have done plenty of things that I thought were rewarding, and I don't feel like I have missed out on anything noteworthy. None that I can think of, at least.

But I still did it. I still did that 1 thing that I do regret. It wasn't a really bad thing, particularly, but I regret it none the less. And being as I have put quite a few years in between me, and said regret-I guess life thought it was time to throw one at me again. Something I thought I would never do-I did. I am not proud, as this is worse than the previous one. I really get the idea of wishing I could rewind time, so I wouldn't have done it to begin with.

Like before, it's not like I killed anybody, or anything, but still.....it is one thing I always thought I was above doing. (Don't try and guess, it's not what you're thinking. =) Plus, I will never tell.)  But, this made me think....

It is so easy to judge people! I have always looked at people for what they were, and regardless of their faults, I have tried to love them for them. I take a little bit of pride in the fact that I don't outright judge anybody-especially before I hear both sides. It's simply not my place.....I will not hate "Sally" because she said something that offended you. Until "Sally" does something to me, that is really bad, and without reason-"Sally" is still good in my book. But, I find that is somewhat dangerous territory.

I stole a soda once. I was walking home from school one day, and was soooooo thirsty! I was with a friend who had money and bought a fountain drink. I didn't have any money, so I asked for a water cup. I got water, but the soda was there taunting me-so when the cashier walked away, I got some soda and left. Let me tell you....I barely slept that night, or the few that followed it until I was able to gather up my change and go back to the store and pay for the large size drink. The water cup was really smaller than the "small" size, but I felt such guilt with what I had done. I was in high school, so I was definitely old enough to know better. I paid the cashier for my large soda, and when she handed me the cup and walked away, I put the cup back and left. I know I should have told her, but really in my mind, what I did made up for it. It taught me a very valuable lesson. One I carry with me today....Do not steal. I can't sleep if I do. I try and teach my kids this, probably to the extreme. I won't let them eat things in the store that are paid for based on weight, because they are stealing from the farmers who depend on the money for those fruits/vegetables. Now, I really don't know if this is how it works but, it makes sense to me-and seems to for them.

All my mistakes that I have made are great big lessons to me, and I remember them as that. So why would I think somebody that chooses to make a bad decision is therefore-a bad person? I make bad choices! It's when you start to get comfortable with things, and start to slide into that "I would never do that! That is so stupid!" attitude, that life is going to come up and go, "What?!? We'll just see about that!", and then get you...big time.

I am still trying everyday to take each person at face value, and not judge on appearance, wealth, race or religion (even lack thereof). These are some of the most interesting people I have met. Who wants to only be around people the same as you?!? Not me. That would be boring!! I am just going to continue to accept people, with a little more caution, realizing I could just as easily be the one that people are talking about. Shoot, my family was always being talked about behind our backs growing up because of the different colored hair, piercings, tattoos, or whatever else people saw going on-yet I have one of the most well balanced, loving, fun families that I have ever met! I know how it feels to be judged based on what others perceive as different or weird. It doesn't feel good. And the one you are talking about does, in fact, know that they are being talked about. No matter how smooth you think you are. It's a no-win situation, that I choose to take no part in. 

This is a perfect picture, on so many levels. =)

And, no-I still do not regret getting a tattoo, Mom. That is not, and never will be on my list of things "I wish I didn't do". Strange as it seems-some people actually like tattoos.  Weird, I know.

So, in conclusion, (since I feel like I'm giving a church talk or something)  Even perfect people, like me, can slip up and do something stupid every few years. Life-alteringly stupid. Which mine wasn't, but really could have been. So, don't look down on people in situations you think you would never get yourself in. Because you really never know what is going to happen to you in life, or how you will react to it. But, believe me when I tell you-if this situation ever comes up again, I will honestly react differently! Hear that life? Leave me alone for a while, I'm good. Lesson learned. Maybe in another 10 or so years, I'll forget, but right now, it is crystal clear-okay?

Amen. =)