If You Could Change One Decision

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Ken Anderson, Jun 12, 2015.

  1. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    If you could go back in time and change one decision that you made in your lifetime, what would it be?
     
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  2. Pat Baker

    Pat Baker Supreme Member
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    I took French when I was in school and I was very good translating and reading French. My teacher suggested I continue my studies in French and get a job as a translator. I did not have support from my family at the time and just wanted to get out of school and out of my family house. Now I wish I had continued my studies.
     
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  3. Carlota Clemens

    Carlota Clemens Veteran Member
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    Perhaps because I'm not recovered yet from losing my father six years ago, the decision I would change would be related to him.

    I would like to have listened to him when I was younger and he used to advise me "find a job and stay there until you guarantee your retire social security..." And I did the opposite trying to find jobs that didn't offer social security or I didn't stay enough to secure my financial future.

    At some stage in my life I made enough money with business ventures, and wish I would be wise enough to save some of that money, or at least to have used it to help my father financially speaking through his illness instead of spend it all insanely in useless things.

    But probably the decisions I didn't make and the one hurting me more is related to the day previous he passed away. If I wouldn't be drunk trying to less the pain of his agony, I would take him in my arms, no matter how, to take him to the hospital rather than let my relatives called (and waited) for an ambulance that delayed over six hours to arrive, a precious time that would have made a difference trying to save his life :(
     
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  4. Hannah Davis

    Hannah Davis Veteran Member
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    Well, I'm not one to go around going would have, should have, could have. Yes, I did this in the past especially when it came to my mother's illness, I felt like there were things I could of done to change things, and I realized that no matter how much I wanted to change it I couldn't. Wanting to change a direction in life is really hind sight. We have to deal with the choices we make even if the choices are sometimes ones we live to regret. There are some things I wished I had done differently or had continued to do in some cases, but I can't dwell in the past I can onlymove forward.
     
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  5. John Donovan

    John Donovan Veteran Member
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    I...am not sure, really. I guess it would probably be something really minor. I seem to be pretty satisfied about my current position in life and about the road that took me where I am now.
     
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  6. Helene Lawson

    Helene Lawson Veteran Member
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    I never think about "what it would be if I could"...[change my decision]
    We are taught and raised (or at least I was) to never regret what I did in the past, because that only gave me a lesson and knowledge, to not do it again.
    I guess that my entire life was full of mistakes, little and big, and those mistakes created the person I am now, with the knowledge to never do them again/
     
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  7. Ina I. Wonder

    Ina I. Wonder Supreme Member
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    Since this thread is about, 'what if's', I'll go with it.

    As a child I had a habit of running away from home and foster homes, and getting as far as another state each time. By the time I was 12, I had run off three times. Since my father did not believe in sparing the rod, after my third escape I spent a week in the hospital, and I learned the hard way not to object to my father's desires.

    So when I was 13, and my father arranged my first marriage, I didn't have the courage to fight for myself. I should have run at least one more time. But, after two years I did run again, and I made the desion never to stay in a position I didn't choose.
     
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  8. Susan Brown

    Susan Brown Veteran Member
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    I would like to say get married but that would mean I wouldn't have my wonderful children and my awesome grandchildren. So I guess I would say I would have left my marriage sooner instead of waiting until my kids were grown and on their own. I wish I had believed in myself more. I feel I wasted so many years of my life being in a really bad situation.
     
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  9. Martin Alonzo

    Martin Alonzo Supreme Member
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    I have made many mistakes in my life but everyone I made I learn from it. Losing everything I had three times bankruptcy and divorces and now better off than ever. If I could go back and change any I would not be the person I am now. Mistakes are there to teach even if some are hard. Only wish I could get to where I am now without the hardship but it would not be the same
     
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  10. Susan Brown

    Susan Brown Veteran Member
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    If I could change one decision I made it, I would have left my first marriage a long time ago. I was marriage for over 20 years and in a bad situation. It was not good from the start but I was scared I wouldn't be able to make it on my own. After my children were grown I moved out and I have not looked back since. Now I can't help but feel that I wasted 20 years of my life that I can never get back. I don't regret the marriage though because I got two amazing children and grandchildren as a result of it.
     
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  11. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    This seems like an interesting thread to bump. :D I'm pondering which of my bad decisions I'd change. Guess I'll sleep on it.
     
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  12. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    I would have stayed home the night my mum killed herself. I was 18 years old... I was going out for the night as teens do, but this time I was staying overnight at my girlfriend's house...I would have been there and she wouldn't have got the opportunity!!


    My mother took and overdose, and was dead by 5am...
     
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  13. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    Your being there, would have changed only the day and the time of her demise. She had already made up her mind .
    You have no reason for any guilt .
     
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  14. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    Am like Bess would have to give this thought. I don't have actual regrets, but there are things I would have done differently, and way more than one.
     
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  15. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    It was a little more complicated than that tbh Gloria, but I understand your sentiment, and thank you... but if I'd only known then what I came to know, I may have been able to get her out of that situation... oh well, nothing can change the past, and the fact remains that if my mum hadn't died, I wouldn't have been in a different country and met the father of my beautiful daughter.. so some things are sometimes just meant to be!!
     
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