I cannot say "Non, je ne regrette rien"

"No, I regret nothing".

I wish I could say that too. I regret almost nothing in my life. (So far). But there is one thing I regret. One chance I had that I did not take. And this has haunted me since.

In 1998 I was in Austin and visited a toy-store. And there I found a singing flower. Very silly. yet irresistible. It sang "You are my sunshine" and danced a simple dance (just tilting sideways). I hesitated. Checked the price tag, checked whether I could fit it into one of the bags.

And then it happened. Some stupid rational voice inside me said "You don't need that singing flower. And it is a very silly thing."

So, I turned around and walked away. The flower still singing.

And since that day I have regretted that I listened to that rational inner voice. I know that my life would have been better if that flower had been part of it. Singing to me every day, singing to my wife, dancing in front of my kids.

So, do not listen too much to rational inner voices telling you what is "silly" or "best for you". You know better! And you might miss good things in life, like "You are my sunshine"-singing flowers!

By the way. Here is the flower --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88DIh9vgyr8

(Not mine though. I still do not have a singing flower...And I think I never will have. )