Translated by AI

There are those moments in life when rational thinking is completely overwhelmed by a powerful emotional surge. There I was, staring at a phone screen displaying a special deal for flights to an island we jokingly said we'd visit after retiring. The inner voice magnified instantly: "It's now or never!" Within less than five minutes, I completed the booking and payment before turning to my partner, still at work, shouting, "We're going to our dream island next month!" It was a decision driven purely by impulse and the desire for "carpe diem." At that moment, I felt unprecedented freedom and happiness, as if I had seized the most beautiful thing in life.

When the plane soared above the clouds and the sun bathed the beach, the joy of seizing the moment was full and real. We laughed like children, relieved not to let "we'll do it later" become an eternal regret. That sense of satisfaction was a sweet reward for defeating the binds of reality.

However, life's script is always full of twists. The warmth of happiness had not yet faded when instant regret quickly followed. As we enjoyed expensive accommodations and activities, checking our bank balance felt sharper than the sea breeze. Financial pressure from impulsive spending, accumulated work from sudden leave, and the inevitable mess we had to face upon return gathered like dark clouds in our minds. Suddenly, I realized that the cost of "immediate happiness" also demanded an "instant repayment." Time barely separated joy and regret, as if they were two sides of a coin tossed simultaneously into the air.

Modern society encourages us to pursue "carpe diem" — seize the moment — because "tomorrow and unforeseen events may arrive unexpectedly." It is a philosophy of rebelling against mediocrity and seeking ultimate life experiences. We've been taught to be brave, to act on impulse, and leave no regrets.

Yet, we overlook another equally real existence: "instant regret." Every impulsive decision, every momentary pleasure achieved without thorough consideration, harbors its own immediate remorse.

The dilemma we face is:

1. If we are overly cautious, always planning, forever waiting for the "perfect moment," we may end up with long-term regrets from missed opportunities.

We might avoid immediate risks, making every step seemingly safe and sound. However, opportunities often don't wait at the ideal time; they may just be fleeting possibilities — a call you didn't make, a letter you hesitated too long to send, a change you never dared to take. These accumulated "not nows" may eventually become a lifetime of "too late." And as time pushes us forward, the regrets of things left undone, unloved, unventured, will emerge quietly in the night, becoming a persistent long-term pain.

2. If we act too impulsively, focus solely on the present, and chase extreme happiness, we may feel immediate and painful regret from reckless behavior.

We might make decisions without preparation, switch jobs on a whim, enter a relationship based solely on feelings, or spend recklessly for the sake of happiness... In the moment, these choices seem liberating, appear courageous, but when consequences arrive, we might awaken abruptly, stung by the price of reality. The remorse of "how could I have done this" strikes swiftly and sharply, a raw and immediate pain.

Life seems to question us: Would you rather regret the opportunities you missed or the choices you made? This game has no absolute winner.

The beauty and pain of life lie in such contradictions.

Ultimately, we must acknowledge that the beauty and pain of life stem from the eternal contradiction between instant happiness and instant regret.

Joy and regret never occur linearly; they intertwine like a double helix. Every decision in life contains potential for both achievement and shortfall, satisfaction and cost.

Maturity may not be about learning to avoid regrets, but about accepting both instantaneous emotions simultaneously. We need to muster courage to enjoy the sweetness brought by impulse, while also having resilience to endure the bitterness that follows. It's these mixed, contradictory, instant feelings that let us deeply experience that we are alive.

In the future, perhaps those immediate regrets will also be worn down by time into unique experiences and stories. And that initial instant happiness will forever be a badge of courage for daring to live in the moment.