Prayer

What Regrets Can Teach Us.

Easter is a time to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus—a season of hope, renewal, and the promise of eternal life. In Unity, Jesus teaches us how to live from an awareness of our own divinity. Easter serves as a metaphor for the inherent power within each of us to transcend personal challenges.

Unity principles guide us in living a meaningful, spiritually fulfilling life:

• God is the source and creator of all.
• The Spirit of God lives within everyone.
• We create our experiences through our thoughts.
• There is power in affirmative prayer.
• Knowledge is not enough; we must live these principles.

With this in mind, Spirit invites me to pause and reflect on my own life—to consider whether I am on the path I truly desire. The framework that speaks to me right now comes from reflections shared by people at the end of their lives.

According to Bronnie Ware, the five most common regrets expressed by those nearing death are:

• “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
• “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
• “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”
• “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
• “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”

I took time to reflect on each of these and asked myself honestly: would any of these be true for me if I were at the end of my life right now? The good news is that, while I am not there, I still have the agency to course-correct.

These five reflections have become a kind of North Star, guiding me back to what truly matters as I move through this human experience. While not exhaustive, they offer wisdom from those who have gone before us, helping illuminate the path toward a more intentional and fulfilling life.

Do these reflections speak to you?

Prayer Chaplain Robin Tefft