Changing the Past

I’m sure we’ve all heard people say that they wouldn’t change a thing in their past lives. The striking thing is that a lot of these people have endured horrendous pasts. Yet, because of the lessons they’ve learned or the maturity they’ve undergone, they not only wouldn’t change anything but they are thankful for their pasts. Although I understand where they are coming from, personally, I would definitely make some changes if given the opportunity. In fact, I still make decisions that I’d like to have “do-overs” with.
We often hear that we are to be thankful for all things. I think that is a misunderstanding. I believe we are to be thankful in all things, or amidst all things. Although there is grace to be found even in the midst of our mistakes, errors in judgment and behavior shouldn’t be celebrated or viewed as anything but wrong. Although we must move on from our mistakes, the real lessons are learned when we honestly and accurately differentiate right from wrong.
Before we blindly join the choruses of those who wouldn’t change anything in their pasts, we ought to be honest about the potential we’ve always had to be better people, and the potential we still hold to do so.