"No Regrets" - An Inspiration to Me

I love listening to quiet, inspirational music. Alan has commented at times that I listen to too much music, but it calms me and inspires me and I like it. Sometimes a song will come along that really touches me and gets me thinking, like today. I have a number of inspirational songs that I listen to, but one really stuck out to me this morning while I was exercising in the pool that I have been pondering. It is called "No Regrets" and is on the "We Believe" album by Jenny Phillips. Although it was specifically written for youth, I believe that people of all ages can be inspired by it. 

As everyone knows, being a youth is hard and peer pressure plus a desire to experience new things generally takes over their thinking, making it difficult to always make good choices. When poor choices are made, one must suffer the consequences of their actions, which generally means living with regrets. "No Regrets" is a song about living in a way that when you look back on your life you will have no regrets for the things you have done. 

These are the lyrics of the song:

The sun is just rising in my life
And these are the years
Where I am deciding
And I am defining
The way I will go
In these moments of my youth
I want to live every day in the light of His truth

Chorus:
I want to look back on this time
And be proud of the person I've been
I want to know that the choices I've made
Won't leave me wishing I could make them again
That during these years my devotion was set
I want to look back on this time
With no regrets

The story that I want to write
Is one of strength
Filling each chapter with faith and with laughter
A beautiful life
I won't forget I'm a child of the Father
I want to live every day of my life with honor

Those lyrics kind of sum up what I have always tried to do with my own life - that is, live a life with no regrets. I was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where good values and principles were taught that would help me to live such a life. I cherish the ten commandments and choose to follow them. I also choose to live a life of virtue and to live the law of chastity. Making great choices isn't always easy, but it can be done and is well worth the effort. 

I honestly can't say that I wouldn't want to turn back the clock and change some of the choices I made throughout my life, but for the most part, I have lived a life with no regrets. When we do have regrets, it is comforting to know that God can forgive us if we repent and change our ways. The atonement is real. Christ suffered so that we don't have to if we repent. That is a huge gift that He has given to all mankind.

Part of the challenge of this life is to live in a way that will bring us joy as well as allow us to live worthy to return to that Heavenly Father who gave us life. Joy can be found without falling into the trap that Satan has set that entices mankind to follow worldly standards. Satan's standards fall well short of God's standards. Listen to your heart and to your conscience. They will be your guide when seeking joy. True joy comes from living the gospel and standards of Jesus Christ. If you follow Jesus Christ, you will have a life with no regrets and that is an admirable goal for anyone.

(Picture is of Cheryl and her roommates)