Top 5 regrets people make on their deathbeds

[Liberal_in_LA]

When Ms. Bronnie Ware, a woman who worked for years with the dying, wrote a list of the top 5 regrets people say aloud on their deathbed, we teared up a little bit here at TNW.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

3. I wish I had the courage to express my feelings

4. I wish I had kept in touch with friends

5. I wish I had let myself be happier

Details for the last 3 regrets at link.

wonky website that freezes up on my computer. Click at your own risk:

http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2011/05/31/the-top-5-regrets-people-make-on-their-deathbeds/

[SpiralHawk]

1. 6. "I wish I hadn't been suckered into voting Republicon." - Sadder but Wiser Prole

"But since the Republicons own all the frikking corporate media, and punished me with non-stop lies and propaganda, maybe it ain't all my fault."

- Sadder but Wiser American Prole

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. 7. I wish I had spent less time on DU (or more)

[lonestarnot]

5. I will never have that fucking regret!

[pinto]

2. Thanks for your post.

:thumbsup:

[etherealtruth]

4. I worked as a Hospice nurse for years ....

.... The list rings pretty true to me.

I I were to come up with the most common regret I heard voiced it would probably be associated with not spending enough time with people the dying had loved ... or not making enough time to love.

[AnneD]

8. One of the fringe benefits of being a Nurse.....

is what your patients teach you....if you listen. I learned as a second career Nurse what was important. As a single Mom I worked too much but I made sure my daughter, my Mom, and the rest of the family know I love them. Daughter always knew she was a top priority and she has turned into a wonderful human being, far better than I could be. The regret I have now is some of the friends I lost over the years, but I have kept many and sadly buried a few already. People always know where I stand, I don't mince words, but I always show compassion and charity to those in need


I wanted to be a Doc, but I am very glad I became a Nurse. One day a little kid came into my clinic. Seeing the stethoscope around my neck he asked...are you a doctor? Without a moments hesitation I replied, no, I'm better than a doctor....I'm a nurse. He just took it in that nugget of wisdom and nodded his head in agreement.

[etherealtruth]

12. I left nursing to raise my children ...

... when I became a single parent I could not give up holidays and weekends with my kids. I went back to school and earned another drgree... now that my kids are older , one graduated last night (17 yrs old) and 15, they don't need my the way they used to. I miss nursing every day. As I rapidly approach 50 I am seriously considering returning to nursing.

[AnneD]

24. School Nursing....

Was how I stayed in the profession. Best of both worlds.

[dogday]

6. "I wish I had more time to raise my daughter"

this is truly my only regret as I face death.

[cmd]

7. I've found best thing about having cancer

is that I don't worry about little stuff any more. I do what I want, say what I want and feel absolutely free.

For those of you afraid to visit someone with cancer or some other terminal disease, don't be. We are some of the most fun loving people in the world. Come laugh with us.

[etherealtruth]

11. People with cancer (and other "things") ...

... taught me how to be alive.

[emilyg]

14. I learned how to

live better after my cancer.

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. +1000

[elocs]

9. Life is about choices & consequence, and when you get older, regrets and how to live with them.

If I had to live my life over I would make better choices, but then I likely would make other and possibly more stupid choices.

I've got to say that I've never lived for others' expectations and I haven't worked hard either. I work just hard enough to take care of my needs and those are few. I think I've always expressed my feelings. I've been a loner so friends mean little to me and I believe happiness is only a temporary condition so I don't consider it worth regretting.

[treestar]

10. But was it really an option?

We all have those limits on our lives. We have to work. Others influence us.

It would be more believable if people who had lived a great life true to themselves and not worked too hard and loved and all that were able to say they were satisfied on their deathbed.

While not dying, well, we have to get back to work when we have to.

[SheilaT]

13. I don't think I'll have any of those regrets on

my deathbed.

I had a life of my own before I married at age 32. I stayed home to raise my two sons. Even though the marriage ended in divorce, and my financial situation isn't as great as it used to be, I now live 800 miles away from the ex and his new wife. I have a quiet little life that I just love, new friends, a part time job that provides benefits.

My main regret is going to be that I won't get all the books read that I want to read.

[lunatica]

15. I have those regrets all the time. Everyone probably does.

[Cronus Protagonist]

16. I won't have any of these regrets

The only regret I will have is that life so too fucking short. I would wish I had lived longer.

[brettdale]

20. excellent

agree

[coalition_unwilling]

17. I think my main regret on my death bed is the one I have now, that in

November of 2000, when I saw the Repuke brownshirts interfering with the counting of votes in Florida, that I did not quit my job and head to Florida to take the fight to the pukes in the streets.

In a sense, I blame my own passivity faced with American brownshirt-ism for the 8 years that followed and the war crimes, crimes against humanity and treason that ensued.

[Darth_Kitten]

18. This is making me feel a little sad.

:(

[Edweird]

19. I go for what I want. I live my dreams. My life has its ups and downs but I have few regrets.

I have no children and no obligations other than to myself and it's best that way. I do regret not pursuing a music career more aggressively, but I will be addressing that in the near future.

I don't plan on being on a 'deathbed'. I doubt I'll live anywhere near that long.

[Lorien]

22. American culture makes it easy for most to have those regrets, especially

number two.

[Lucian]

23. One of my (many) favorite quotes by Dr. House:

"Dying people lie too. Wish they'd worked less, been nicer, opened orphanages for kittens. If you really want to do something, you do it. You don't save it for a sound bite."

[Ichingcarpenter]

25. "I want to stand as close to the edge as I can

"I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can’t see from the center." - Kurt Vonnegut

[Name removed]

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