regrets

i had lunch with a very dear friend of mine recently and we discussed 'regrets' - we talked about the regret of things we had not done and then of course the things we had done.  we talked about what could have been and then decided regrets are useless.  frankly what can you do with regret? 

what?  change the past? no.  change the future? maybe (but doubtful). learn from the past? we hope.  put really what is the purpose of regret(s)?

according to wikipedia regret means:

Regret is often felt when someone feels sadness, shame, embarrassment, depression or guilt after committing an action or actions that the person later wishes that he or she had not done.

ah, so  many emotions in that sentence - so which is it?  shame? guilt? depression?  not sure i guess, depends on the exact thing you regret right?

again, a random thought for the universe - should we waste our emotion on regret?

is it ever too late to say...

so i've been thinking.  is it ever too late to say i'm sorry?  is there an imaginary line in the sand that says, "after x date you can't say i'm sorry"?  is there ever a time when it really "is" too late to say those words?

after all, there are "I'm sorry" cards, songs, emails, letters, texts, posts and so on but when is it too late?  is it too late when years have passed and really, you don't remember what you are apologizing for but you know you should?  is it too late when so many wrong words were said that you just don't know the right words to fix it?  is it too late if hearts were hurt and egos damaged?

what if it's family?  the wrong that just can't be righted (hmmm, is that a word?  Yes, i just looked).  it seems we are so much harder on the one's we love than the friends in our life.  i know of my own family where loyalty has been tossed aside for greed.  where self righteous behavior (and frankly stubbornness) has taken over and "to hell with everyone" steps in. i know of a friend who is suffering through family drama and the words "i'm sorry" might make it all go away...might being the operative word.

not sure exactly what prompted this thought, but i am putting it out there...is it ever too late to utter those words and regain what might have been lost?

so dear universe, i ask you to solve this lingering thought in my mind...when is it too late?