REGRETS

Last night I watched the movie, Rudy. The fact-based story is about a walk-on for the Notre Dame football team. Rudy gets to dress out for the first time at the last game of his senior season. To his delight he gets to play in the last minute of the game and even sacks the quarterback. The real life moment is recorded here.

The most moving scene of the movie for me is when Rudy almost quits the team. He has a conversation with an employee of the university that causes him to change his mind.



The scene about “regrets” struck a chord with me since I had recently remembered some decisions I made in college. In spite of encouragement by some friends, I did not pursue some possibilities that could have made some good memories for me today. Instead I have regrets for roads I did not follow.

After the movie I had some reflection time as I sat by my fireside looking at the glowing embers of a dying fire. Chances are that I am in the “fourth quarter” of my life. Time is running out to play in the game. I feel like I have been “benched” much of my life, often times because of either my poor performance or superior work of competitors.

I am reminded of a song Frank Sinatra made famous. Unlike the song, I have more than a few regrets that I have often tried stubbornly to do things “my way.”


By God’s grace, I will redeem the time and make the most of who I am and what I can do. May I be able to sing the same song, but change the key phrase to “God’s way.”

“My Way”

And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I've travelled each and every highway
and more, much more than this
I did it my way

Regrets I've had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along the by-way
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes, there were times
I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all
And I stood tall
And did it my way

I've loved, I've laughed, and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
"Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way"

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

Yes, it was my way