Scott – Japan / Rotorua
“If I could, what would I say to my 11 year old self?
I would like to say that life is longer than you think and it’s better to regret doing something than not doing it. I honestly believe that you can live with most things in life; you can live with loss, you can live with pain, but regret is the one that seems to slowly wear you down. And also yeah, have a go. You only live once, so yeah have fun doing it.
I grew up on a farm in Rotorua, spent 20 years there, went to college, moved to Japan straight out of college. I live in a national park overlooking the sea. What makes me tick is the ocean that breaks in front of me, and the waves that I capture. It’s good to be a kiwi. It’s good to have that kiwi heart – not there’s nothing wrong with other hearts, but I like the one I’ve got.
I just think that – you know, the things you regret stay with you much longer than many other things. So, it could be a comment you said – it could be a – a way you acted. It could be any – any number of things, and it’s funny; the small things often stick with you more than the big things.
I’ve had loss in my life, and I’ve had lack, but I’ve been blessed with the life I’ve had and the opportunities I’ve had, and the way that I was brought up. I consider myself extremely fortunate but the small regrets still you know drag me down; weird things. For example; I met a beautiful girl hitchhiking once. She was hitchhiking and I picked her up. I never got her name or her address, and we – I hit it off with her for the two hour drive more than I’ve hit it off with many people, and I always wonder, well shit – was that an opportunity that – you know, passed me by. I don’t think regret has to be a heavy – or always a terrible thing. It could be something that you’re depriving yourself in a positive light. If you want to feel life, you have to get the most out of the good as well as the bad.
I think I’ve been a little bit spoilt really – no major regrets. I also was fortunate to be brought up right, so maybe my parents gave me this advice. If I disappointed them they let me know. They taught me that if you work hard you will get the most out of yourself as well as life – for that I’m eternally grateful. I have friends who are struggling in their lives because as you get older your energy wears down and they find it more and more difficult to keep up, and for me I’ve been so fortunate – that’s always been a given; working hard has always been a staple in our home environment.”
