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Nasly Roa Noriega (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer

Today I learned a lesson from my son. I did not know how to start writing to talk about the important topics of closing cycles, dealing with regrets and moving forward, and you know what I learned? That sometimes moments are enjoyed, sometimes you win or lose, sometimes we laugh or cry. We get frustrated, we deny, we rejoice, and everything happens in an instant.

Seeing my son lose in his soccer game finals and seeing him crying in his sadness, lying on the cold grass, it broke my heart. It crumpled it so hard because I felt that his sadness was my sadness, that his frustration was united with mine. I ran out to hug him and tell him with my silent presence that whether we lose or win I will always be there for him. I don’t know if he understood because his head was tucked toward his chest and I couldn’t look into his fragile eyes because they were covered with tears.

Even though I talked to him about the importance of taking on challenges and accepting our defeats to make us stronger, I didn’t know if, in those moments, those words echoed in his heart. 

Seeing him surrounded by his best friends, who gave him more motivational strength, made my heart grow bigger. My soul smiled to see that, even if life hits us for an instant, there will always be people who are there for us, giving us the support we need to keep going.

I watched as he stood up and told me, “Don’t worry Ma, I’m fine.”

Even if he was not, he understood that we all have to experience that emotional mourning, that cross of cold and wet feelings that suffocate our chest for a few moments.

With a smile, a soft punch in the chest and a thumbs up I told him, “Son, you gave everything on the field, keep it up.”

I watched him walk away with his team, all in silence, hugging each other in emotional mourning. They were going to their classrooms to continue with their classes and responsibilities. That’s where I learned a lesson that has always been hard for me: life goes on, even when we are beaten for a few moments.

When I got home, I remembered how many times I have felt sorry for not doing things, how many times I have started, left or postponed my dreams and my ideals, how many times I have felt frustrated for not moving forward and staying there in the attempt. But when I heard my son’s classmates saying that they did not regret anything because they enjoyed the moment and played with all their strength, and that they felt like winners, that gave me encouragement to move forward and stop regretting the things I did, or that I failed to do.

Life is an instant, a blink of an eye: there is no time for regret. 

I have heard that silence is more eloquent than words, and this applies when we feel dejected, since silence allows us to listen to ourselves and draw our own conclusions.

There are several types of regrets: moral regret is that feeling that makes us feel bad for having acted wrongly towards another person, indecision regret is the negative feeling that appears when we let good opportunities pass us by, and performance regret happens when we feel bad for not having done better or given 100%.

For any type of regret, there will always be a discomfort, a strange sensation in the body.  Silence is usually a great companion for this sensation because it allows us to enter into a trance to explore possible solutions, but also opens space for us to listen to the opinions of those who want the best for each of us.

Fear tends to block us in many circumstances. When it takes over our thoughts, it becomes an enemy that takes away decisions and leads us to emotional paralysis, keeping us from moving forward. Although I do not define it as a bad feeling, it should be handled with care, because many times giving free rein to that feeling leads us to regret and frustration.

For that reason dear readers, my son unwittingly gave me a great lesson: one must play in life without fear, without regrets and with courage. Because even if the results are not as expected, life goes on and the moments must be enjoyed in that instant before they forever remain memories.  

When my son returned home after his arduous sports and school activities, his face seemed to have forgotten that bitter experience on the field. His greeting was the same as always and his words were, “Ma, for next year, we will win the Champions Cup!”

What happened between that morning, when it pained me to leave him sad about his game, and noon when he came back with a smile of victory? What made him change his emotion? I don’t know. Maybe in his sweet child soul there is no room for regrets, and he decided to move on.

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Hello, my name is Nasly Roa. I am Colombian. I was born in a beautiful coastal city called Santa Marta, with a beautiful frosted beach, a soft scent of sea foam, sunsets, and a night sky that is witness to my inspiration for letters. I love writing, and this passion has taken me further than I ever thought I could go. I know that there are no barriers that prevent me from flying.