Top Five Regrets of the Dying

I chance upon this book today when browsing the new books section of the library. This book catches my eye. It is not exactly a new idea, but the observations and the regrets of the dying are worth pondering once again. The author, Bronnie Ware begins the search for meaning in her job. Without qualifications and experience, very few opportunities are available for her. She lands a job in palliative care instead. Here, her life becomes transformed through her listening, her working, and her understanding of the deepest regrets of people who are dying.

Incidentally, dying people often have the ability to concisely and clearly distill all of their life dreams, purposes, observations, and regrets into words. Here are the top five regrets of the dying, as shared by Bronnie Ware.

1. "I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."
2. "I wish I hadn't work so hard."
3. "I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings."
4. "I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends."
5. "I wish I had let myself be happier."

Take the weekend to ponder. I strongly suspect that the top five regrets of the dying may very well be the same top five regrets of the living.

conrade