A ‣ Looking back: sharing memories

A: It’s great to see you again. Gosh, it’s ten years since we were at school together! Any idea what the school is like these days?
B: No, I’ve been a bit out of touch¹ with things ever since I moved away from London.
A: I wonder what became of² that maths teacher. I think his name, if I recall³, was Mr Sanderson. When I think back⁴, I realise now how difficult things must have been for him, having to teach the likes of us! And do you ever hear anything of⁵ James?
B: No, I haven’t heard a thing.
A: And I often wonder what Sanjay ended up doing. I’ve lost touch with him too. Thinking back, we had some great times, didn’t we?
B: Yeah. Seeing your phone there reminds me of how we used to text under our desks, right under the teacher’s nose.
A: Yeah, that takes me back to⁶ the day my phone rang when a school inspector was observing our class and I got into big trouble.
B: Yes, I have a vague memory⁷ of that. Actually, it’s all coming back to me now⁸. They confiscated your phone and you stormed out of the classroom!
A: Yeah. But I must say that what stands out in my mind⁹ is the amazing freedom we used to have.
B: Me too. When I look back, I realise how much things have changed.
A: Yes, I often find myself reminiscing about¹⁰ my teenage years and wonder if our children will have the same happy memories when they grow up.
B: Yes, we all tend to look at the past through rose-tinted spectacles¹¹, don’t we? But I guess a bit of nostalgia¹² does nobody any harm!

¹ not knowing what has happened recently
² where he is and what happened to him
³ if I remember correctly
⁴ think about the past
⁵ receive any news about
⁶ makes me remember
⁷ not a very clear memory
⁸ I’m beginning to remember it more clearly
⁹ what I remember more than other things (you can also say sticks out in my mind)
¹⁰ thinking about pleasant things that happened in the past
¹¹ see only the pleasant things about a situation and not notice the things that are unpleasant (you can also say rose-coloured spectacles)
¹² a feeling of pleasure and sometimes slight sadness at the same time as you think about things that happened in the past

B ‣ Expressing regret

I regret not spending more time with my aunt when she was ill.

He showed no sign of remorse for what he had done.

She said she felt great shame for what had happened and apologised to us all. [embarrassment and guilt about something bad that happened]

I felt great pangs of guilt and remorse thinking of all the bad things that had happened and my part in them. [sudden sharp feelings, especially of painful emotion; collocates frequently with guilt, regret, conscience, remorse]

Some formal, rather literary ways of expressing regret:

I rue the day we ever met. [I regret very much that we ever met; collocates strongly with ‘the day’ and ‘the fact that’]

I lament the passing of time. [I feel sad that time passes]

I mourn my lost opportunities. [I feel sad about opportunities I had but did not take up]