Why is regret always at the end? (Into the Woods)

Why do we only realize everything when it was already done? What is the regret for?

The story (Into the Woods) is like an eye opener for me, and I do hope the same thing for those who read it and for those who are about to read it.

The story revolves around life, health, abuse, repentance, and death. As you see, at the beginning of the story, it was the butterfly who catches the boy’s attention first. He followed it and led him to a girl, younger than him that is being surrounded by animals. When he saw it he wooed them away to save the girl. The girl gave him a strange flower in exchange for his kindness though she wasn’t really in danger.

When the boy and his father return to their tribe he finds out that the flower that the girl gave him was the miracle plant that they were looking for that can heal any kind of illness.

Years passed, the boy grew up into a young man who is about to lead their tribe in no time. But his father catches some serious illness that even their tribe healer doesn't know the cause and cure of the illness.

Aries, the boy, decided to go back to the dark woods again to find a miracle plant. He’s not expecting to see the girl from his childhood but he saw her again who is now turned into a beautiful lady.

Her name is Diana. It is as if Diana knew why he was there. Every time Aries went to the woods he always had some miracle plant with him when he returned to their tribe. He makes use of the plant to earn money and buy some properties.

One day, when he didn’t see Diana at their meeting place he wondered where she was but then her mother appeared, she was very mad and she told him to leave her away and to stop killing her. He’d got some ideas but chose to ignore it. But when he saw Diana fill with bruises that she tries to hide from him he got some realization.

She is very different from before. She looked in pain and tired yet she was still kind and asked if someone from their tribe was sick again. His heart aches for regrets and hatred for himself. His mother then is seriously sick, he doesn't have a choice but to get a miracle plant. Diana gives him the plant with a smile on her beautiful face telling him to go and save his mother. He does save his mother but not the woman he loves.

This story shows us that humans only realize the value of a thing if it was already gone. It also tells us that being too nice and kind won’t do us any good because even the people we love the most can hurt us the most.

As for parents, this story also tells us that loving your child too much isn’t enough to make them great people someday. We need to discipline and interfere in their life sometimes, if we notice that they’re into something that is not right for them and we know that it may harm them one day, words aren’t enough and must take actions before it’s too late.

This story also has a say for couples, if you said that you both love each other but only one of you is doing everything to make your relationship work, trust me it will still be a failure.

It also implies that humans are naturally greedy, we didn’t know that we already abused something if we felt happiness from temporary things or even if we know but don’t mind the consequences of it because we are too happy to care. We must and should always know that in every action there’s always a corresponding reaction. It may affect us, our family, the people we love, or the people around us.

We should always do a countermeasure before we regret it in the end. Because yes, you regret, you learned your lesson, but it’s over. You can’t turn anything back. You’ll just need to live with it and it will always linger in your mind and soul until you die.