In September 2019, a bus suddenly stopped in downtown Seoul. The driver who stopped the bus asked the passengers to excuse him, and ran outside. It was to save a woman in her 60s who had fallen in the street.
The woman had not recovered her consciousness although some other passersby had been trying to help her. The bus driver immediately started CPR on her. After a few minutes, she recovered her consciousness and started breathing again. Then the bus driver asked one of the passersby there to stay with her until the ambulance arrived, and he returned to his bus. The passengers were moved by the act of the driver who saved the woman’s life with quick thinking.
The reason why he responded to the situation as soon as he saw the fallen pedestrian was revealed through his interview soon after the incident.
“I lost my wife from a stroke back in March. Even now I feel choked up when I think that she might have lived if I had been with her.”
It was from his regret of having failed to protect his wife. If he had hesitated and missed his chance to save the fallen woman, he might have regretted again. However, he went straight to the woman who needed help, and saved her life through his immediate action.
Everybody has a moment they regret. ‘If I had not given up then,’ ‘If I had taken action sooner’ … If we stop there and do nothing, we are very likely to repeat the same actions and decisions that lead to regrets.
Judas Iscariot could not overcome his guilt of having betrayed Jesus by selling Him for 30 silver coins, and he gave up on the way to salvation himself. On the other hand, Peter who disowned Jesus three times repented of having weak faith, and lived the rest of his life only for Christ and the gospel.
Whether we will regret again or make a better future by learning from the regret depends on our decisions and actions.