How to cope with regrets?

My Dad died nearly 18 months ago. (my mum not long after......)   i have many regrets. not doing more with him. not appreciating him. not talking about what i should do when hes gone. not visiting him hospital enough. he had a letter saying his cancer was moving, from that moment i should have spent every day with him but i carried on as normal hoping the hospital could help him... but it was not to be.

Parents
  • Hi Matt, we all have regrets about things we can't change but you have to remember you tried your best with what you had at the time. I am sure your parents knew you loved them and you were a good son - I know with my mum - could I have been a better son? Yeah, I could have been a better son but my mum made mistakes and said things she shouldn't have done when she was here but we forgive because we love them and they're important - I am sure your parents wouldn't want you now in distress about this - it's normal to think that you could have done more but the reality is that you probably couldn't have done - it's all well and good forgiving others and that is a noble concept that more people should do but we should all forgive ourselves a lot more than we do. You have been through a really tough year to 18 months to lose both parents within that time frame and you need to be kind to yourself. 

    I was in China doing their lockdown when my mum was diagnosed and there were no planes flying long after the lockdown ended everywhere else - I spent no time with my mum in her final days but even I realise that the situation we found ourselves in was beyond our control - there are times you need to forgive you and look at the bigger and wider picture of your relationship which I am sure was a loving and happy one. That helps me and I hope it does you, take care.

Reply
  • Hi Matt, we all have regrets about things we can't change but you have to remember you tried your best with what you had at the time. I am sure your parents knew you loved them and you were a good son - I know with my mum - could I have been a better son? Yeah, I could have been a better son but my mum made mistakes and said things she shouldn't have done when she was here but we forgive because we love them and they're important - I am sure your parents wouldn't want you now in distress about this - it's normal to think that you could have done more but the reality is that you probably couldn't have done - it's all well and good forgiving others and that is a noble concept that more people should do but we should all forgive ourselves a lot more than we do. You have been through a really tough year to 18 months to lose both parents within that time frame and you need to be kind to yourself. 

    I was in China doing their lockdown when my mum was diagnosed and there were no planes flying long after the lockdown ended everywhere else - I spent no time with my mum in her final days but even I realise that the situation we found ourselves in was beyond our control - there are times you need to forgive you and look at the bigger and wider picture of your relationship which I am sure was a loving and happy one. That helps me and I hope it does you, take care.

Children
  • thank you for your reply.  um its worse than you can imagine, my mum was an alcoholic , we had major arguments. it killed her in the end. looking after her was no fun. she suffered a lot in her last year, self inflicted though it was. my dad was paralysed in hospital for nearly 3 months....  but really we ended on ok terms really, but my sister had disowned her,. as she made my dad unhappy.  sad you couldnt spend time with ur mum in her last days. i did get to say goodbye to my dad, wasnt sure if he was on his way out that night,. but he did  die that night...