No Regrets

There hasn’t been much that I have regretted in my life. I never thought twice about joining the Army. I came from a military family and always knew what was expected of me. I never regretted skipping  college either. My father pushed me very hard in school and I was completely exhausted by my senior year of high school.  I am grateful for it, but it made me despise our education system.   So I traveled the world as a soldier and totally immersed myself into the Korean culture multiple times.  No regrets.  I read every book I could get my hands onto and kept meticulous notes on what I learned.  I studied and practiced different religions and still finding my way.  I jumped out of countless planes to get over my fear of heights.  For years I sought out the toughest assignments in my field that kept me in line to lead, train, and mentor soldiers.  It kept me up a lot of days and nights.  No regrets.

Twenty-two years of serving in defense of this Nation.  Ten in peace and twelve during combat.  192,848 hours.  No regrets.   I haven’t agreed with the outcome of every decision I have made, but I learned from all my failures and it has made me better in the long run.  Truly.  I have lost friendships and relationships.  I have lost soldiers and friends in combat and peacetime training.  I have questioned their loss in the quiet times of meditation and solace.  But I never have regretted knowing any of them or the profound effect that they have had on my life.  No regrets.

There are many more things that I plan to do in the coming years. Finish my degree. Continue my blog.  Start a podcast.  Write a book or two. Create a lifestyle business helping others.  No matter what it is I do, I will not regret one thing.

-alv