You recently moved into a peaceful and quiet neighborhood. It was lively, yet calm, welcoming, yet not overwhelming. You quickly moved in, the peace and quiet allowing you to unpack your belongings without distraction. As you stepped outside to look at the new home you’ve made, you spot a woman, your neighbor, on her front porch. She was just sitting down and staring into the horizon. She had a certain wistful expression, a tinge of regret filling her eyes. You decided to talk to her, introduce yourself, as she looked extremely sad and you wanted to cheer her up.

Ever since then, you’ve talked to her every time you encountered her. She would smile softly as you talked, yet you still saw the regret in her eyes. Still, you were a welcome distraction for her, so you talked with her as much as you could.

One day, during the hottest parts of the summer, she invited you over to swim with her to cool down. You accepted, and headed over to her backyard, where you found her already in the pool. After a few minutes of friendly banter, you decided to finally ask her why she always looked sad and regretful.

“Ah…so you have noticed…well…it’s because I was a stupid, stupid person. I used to be such a party girl. Every time there was a party, I would be there. I loved the noise, the drinking, the excitement. One day…I married a man on impulse, and had a child with him. I truly did love them. But…I was a fool. My love was not enough to stop me from seeking the thrills of the party life. I kept going to parties…and often, I left my husband and child alone. My husband…divorced me. I didn’t care about him and our child enough to stop going to parties. I didn’t take motherhood seriously. Our child chose to live with him. I forgot to show the poor thing I was a mother in the first place. Now…years later…I know how important peace and quiet is. It’s all I know now. But I learned my lesson too late. I wish I could go back…and change things. I wish I can make amends to my ex-husband and child. I wish…I wish I wasn’t so stupid.”