Regrets? Too Few To Mention (ms)
It isn’t often I am on the other side of the microphone, as it were, answering questions instead of asking them but such was the case the other day. A reporter for my local newspaper wanted to write a story about me and so we agreed to meet at the local coffee shop where I’ve taken to hanging out when I can.
I don’t do interviews very well when they are about me, I prefer to ask the questions for then I learn something. The curious thing about an interview is that you must come up with answers which are copied down or recorded and thus may be used in print so you want to come up with something that doesn’t make you sound like a total fool. Newspaper pieces can come back to haunt you just like the picture someone took when you were standing on your head with a sombrero on your feet spitting sunflower seeds.
Anyway, she was quite pleasant to talk to and that’s how things ended up going, like a conversation. A question here or there dealt with facts but otherwise we had quite a good little chat and I enjoyed it. There was one question that stuck with me, though, and it dealt with my time thus far. “Do you have any regrets about what you’ve done?” she asked, “Any thoughts that you should have done something else?” A good question and it gave me cause to think before I answered, “Not really. On a personal level probably a few but professionally, I don’t think so. I also don’t think I would have preferred another career over this one for I’ve had so many interesting things happen because of it.” We went on from there and finished our chat and said so long but the question has stayed with me and become important since we’re into a new year.
The New Year brings a time for both retrospect and the inevitable promises to do better at whatever in the year ahead. The resolutions we so earnestly make frequently are forgotten before the first few days are out but the times past, well, they stay with you forever. I’ve made my share of weak promises so I know this to be true.
Since that interview I’ve looked back some and decided that I’m still in agreement that over the years things weren’t so bad; could have been better in some places but then who can’t say that. Truth be told I’ve had a good run on all levels.
This is beginning to sound like my last will and testament which it surely is not, at least as far as I know. I guess what happened is that in the spirit of the season, the dawning of the New Year, the opening of a fresh ledger, getting a clean slate and all that I thought it time to take stock of where I’ve been and, more importantly, where I’m going. Never hurts to know that as it stands now the light at the end of the tunnel is not another freight train.
Happy New Year all!
–Mike Stevens
Riding Both Rails 