While most of us have no regrets over how our lives have turned out, there are things that we wish we had not done and things we wish we had done. The good thing about life is that we can always go back and do things all over again, whether it’s continuing musical lessons or quitting smoking.
DAWN BALAGOT, commercial and print model: I don’t really regret anything because I learned from every mistake I did.
MONSOUR DEL ROSARIO, ambassador of Philippine Taekwondo/actor/businessman: That I overused products like gel, mouse, pomade, hair tonic, etc. and blow-dried my long black hair all the time when I was younger. I think that caused the thinning out of my hair early. Thank God, Svenson Treatment saved what’s left of my hair and it’s making it grow back.
Senator LOREN LEGARDA: I have never regretted anything in my life, even things that turned out to be mistakes because these helped only to strengthen my character and provide me wisdom. However, what I wish could have happened was to have been born ahead of my time so that I would have helped plan Metro Manila, which is both polluted and sorely lacking in trees. I wish we had kept our rivers clean and lined our roadsides with trees as contained in the master plan from the early 1900s.
Agriculture Secretary ARTHUR YAP: Neglect my piano lessons.
RAFE TOTENGCO, international bag designer: Let me quote one of my favorite chanteuses, Edith Piaf, “Non! Rien de rien...Non, je ne regretted rien.” (No! Absolutely nothing...No, I regret nothing!) Life’s too short to live in the past and with regret. Could have, would have, should have” are not words I like to say.
Camarines Sur Governor LRAY VILLAFUERTE: I have no regrets. Everything happens for a reason. No matter how good things are in your life, there are still challenges to be worked on. No matter how bad things are, there is always something good that you can thank God for.
MOTHER LILY MONTEVERDE: Every decision that I make is the result of careful planning and thinking. Everything that has happened in my life, whether failure or success, joyful or painful, is an integral part of being me, of what I am. They are experiences that I learned lessons from and made me what I am today. No regrets.
SIGALIT DJEMAL, founding member, Pink for Life Foundation: We all regret so many things in the past. For me, I would have never started smoking. I am a health freak, I have to watch out for genetic breast cancer but I can’t stop smoking. I started smoking at the age of 19 when I was in the army. No one in my family smokes. All these years I didn’t care but in the last five years, I’ve done all I could to stop smoking. I’ve tried all kinds of medications, spent money on treatment but I still can’t stop. Right now, I am willing to do anything, pay anything just to be able to stop smoking.
HAPPY DAVID, jewelry designer/entrepreneur: That I watched too many Pinoy thrillers with my yaya Evelyn. She’d continue the episodes at bedtime starring herself. During the day, she’d be able to gain control over me so much, and so did my other siblings, all with a flick of a switch that would start up a whole slideshow from my databank of scary images from my overactive imagination. Now I can’t even enjoy a simple dumb laugh/scream fest movie.