Lifetime Regrets

 

Regrets, I've had a few; but then again, too few to mention ...

 

We have all had our fair share of regrets in life. Things we did, or did not do, or things that happened to us and left a mark or a memory in our lives. Hopefully we have learnt from the experience and moved on. But what about when something happens which results in a life-changing experience? You can regret as much as you want but what has happened has happened.

 

This happened to me many years ago. I was on holiday with a group of people in the Lake District and we lived in tents overnight. 

 

One morning I got up early before everyone else, and without telling anyone I went for a walk. I went up this hill and kept walking. It was a nice sunny morning at about 6:00am with a fresh breeze every now and then. I kept walking and going higher and higher. Pretty soon I was on top of the world. I could see the lakes and other mountain tops in the distance and the tent camp down there was nowhere to be seen.

 

It was a stupid and foolhardy thing to do. If I'd slipped and got hurt no one would find me.

 

But I did something more stupid than that. Something I regret to this day.

 

There was a small stream nearby. Water was trickling down the mountain and passing by me a few feet away. I put my hand in the water and drank a little bit. No more than a couple of spoons. It was cold and fresh. I thought nothing of it.

 

Days later, when we all got back home, I noticed one of my ears was itching a bit. I ignored it. The itch continued for a few days. I noticed whilst looking at the mirror that the ear was a little red and seemed slightly bigger in size.

 

I kept looking at the mirror daily. Sometimes more that once a day. The redness had gone, and also the itch. But the ear seemed to be growing. Or was it my imagination?

 

Eventually, I went to see the doctor. He humoured me and said peoples' ears do grow bigger as they get older. I challenged him and said surely both would grow bigger at the same rate. He said not always. 

 

I ignored the doctor and in time I ignored the ear growing too. Another thing I regret.

 

Have you noticed that I never post photos of myself on this Blog or on social media?

 

I now have an ear measuring six inches from top to bottom. Yes - six inches. The other two are much bigger than that!

THE FINAL FRONT EAR