Going back over your mistakes, asking yourself painful questions and giving honest answers is a difficult, but cathartic experience.
We’ve all made mistakes in life, some more serious than others, but thinking them through, trying to explain why you made that decision at that point in time, makes you re-examine your own values. In my case, having changed through my Buddhist Practice, it also becomes clear that I would have made different decisions in many cases.
Our history is set in stone, we cannot go back and make those decisions anew. But we can try to make amends, apologise for any hurt we have caused, and, above all, be honest with ourselves and others.
The changes in myself, that I see and feel, the way I view life, and my responsibility for events affecting me and people around me, have come about through my Practice and my study of Nichiren Buddhism.
As I have said before, once you see things in a different light, you cannot undo that change. Nor would I want to, because even though I know I will make other mistakes in the future, I know that those mistakes will be made despite honourable intentions, and with a great deal more Wisdom, Courage and Compassion.
The Search For Enlightenment 
Mar 20, 2013 @ 13:19:02
Anupadin
lovely post that captures the cathartic adventure that is our human revolution. I love the way you mention honesty as well, because unlike in other religions, in Nichiren Buddhism we can express our feelings candidly to the Gohonzon, without feeling judged, however dark those feelings might be.
I used to have a tendency to beat myself up (I was brought up a Catholic) over what I perceived as past mistakes, until one of my mentors in personal development, Richard Jackson, said:
“If you are certain that the person you have now become would not make the same mistake, then stop beating yourself up because you are slandering an innocent person.” He taught me that I have ALWAYS made the right decision, based on the person I was (dominant life-state) and the information I had at the time. I found this explanation very liberating and it helped me move forward with a ‘Hon’nin Myo’ spirit. We are Buddhas, who makes mistakes sometimes.
All very best
David
Mar 20, 2013 @ 13:52:20
Hi David, glad you liked the post and that it struck a chord with the changes you have made. I like your mentor’s thoughts about slandering an innocent, that’s a lesson in its own right. Namaste ~ Anupadin