Thanks for what?

I think from time to time of the ending to Oedipus the King. The chorus begins chanting, after all the characters have left the stage, the Greek wisdom of the ages. The last line of two paragraphs of chanting says that a person should consider himself really fortunate if he or she can get to the end of life and look back on it without any regrets.

I am instantly indicted because I have more than a few regrets along Life's way. I can remember loose words spoken against others along Life's way, even some two days ago that were so, so foolish to have spoken on my part. I can remember being a part of meetings with people that I didn't think should be taking place. But there I was in the middle of them nonetheless. I can remember times when I forgot some amazingly important events to other people, and my attempts to rectify were feeble. My list is long, and my confession to God has already taken place. But I am guilty of not being able to look back on life without regrets.

I can, however, look to others around me and say, "Thank you, God, for them." They are people who have gone through very similar events in life and still hang in there. They may have just as many regrets as I do, but they haven't thrown in the towel. And then there's Oediupus the King. I think, "If Sophocles wrote such a play to let people know not to drop to such depths of depression as Oedipus did about events in life he could not control, then people have been dealing with misery, pain, regret, shame, and guilt a very long time. [The play was written almost 450 years before Christ].

Thank you
Weaver of Life's events
for showing me
through the people around me
and the spirit inside me
that Life's story of me
doesn't incriminate me
It characterizes You in me
And speaks the word "worthy" to me