Regret
Regret: Feeling apologetic and wishing one could go back in time and have a re-do to make things right.
In this video I am untying the fly pattern called the Wooly Bugger.
I was talking to a friend of mine, from New Zealand, about this piece and mentioned the fly pattern’s name, Wooly Bugger. He laughed over the term bugger and asked if I knew the origins of its meaning.
Origin: The roots of bugger are traced back to the Bulgarians. “Bulgarus” was a name given to a sect of abusive heretics believed to have come from Bulgaria in the 11th century. Over time and through various languages, it was later shortened to the slur “bugger.” So, its roots are obtrusive and invasive, and most certainly racist.
In contemporary times the word bugger or buggering has many uses. It currently has many meanings ranging from the description of an abusive man to feeling sympathy for another who has experienced bad luck. My use of bugger at the time was offensive to my New Zealand colleague and regret having used it.
Meanings and word usage can change over time, but the history and roots of the word do not.
I cannot take back my words already spoken. Regrets are not an avenue for absolution but perhaps they are a gift for growth.