I regret to inform you...

re*gret
1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.)
2. to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one's vanished youth.

We've all heard it a million times-someone say "I live my life without any regrets." I myself have often used the phrase, but after giving it some thought, it simply sounds ridiculous. We all do things throughout our life spans that sometimes are not fully thought out. Driving drunk, vandalism, stealing, cheating, fighting, being verbally abusive. Sadly, most of us do the majority of those things, and more, throughout the duration of our lives. Can we really say that we do these things without feeling remorseful for them? Hurting loved ones, or someone else's loved ones? Compassion is a part of human nature, and although we may not act on that compassion, it still exists inside ourselves (for the most part). I wholeheartedly agree with the concept-learn from your mistakes, try to make the best out of dispiriting situations, and move on. But it IS regret if you move on and feel bad about the situation. It is NOT regret if you move on and feel no compassion toward the people affected by the situation. But, honestly, how often does that happen? Even some of the most difficult people have the ability to feel sorrow. Perhaps we could find a new phrase for what we THINK we are talking about. Or just accept the fact that it's human nature to act regrettably from time to time. The average lifespan is almost 80 years, giving us a lot of time to mess up.