Regretting

I spent a lot of time thinking about regret this weekend.

I am reading a book that will be published next month. The author was an up and coming fresh voice in the early 60's. He won awards and was celebrated for his talent. Than, life took over. He spent the next 45 years working in office equipment and raising a family.

Now, 47 years after his first book was published, he has published his second...and it's terrible. Somewhere along the way he lost that voice that made him unique and fresh. His latest manuscript is ripe with regret. Even his protagonist echos his pleas for a "do-over".

I feel bad for the guy. But, I will be writing a negative review.

I can't help but to apply this lesson to myself. As I re-read my writing over the last 10 years, I see a subtle shift. Maybe it's a natural progression from girl to woman, from student to adult. But, I don't want to let the next 40 years of my life slip by without honing my talent. I don't want to let my voice disappear. More than anything else, I don't want to regret the choices I make.