Hi Jerry,
Some objective reflections on a couple of points you raise:
- The point about Einstein and our own contributions to Life -- to use the analogy of chess, some of us are bishops, some of us are rooks, some are knights, and thus we have our own limitations, powers and abilities. It is important to acknowledge and use them.
Which brings us to point number --
- If I'd almost committed a crime but didn't, for any reason whatsover, I hope I'd be celebrating the fact, rather than getting depressed about a miss that proved to be a mile. what I would be grieving over (and do) would be the chances I had to do something positive, but didn't. And I would (and do) let those feelings act as a goad when I want to back out of something I know I should do but don't want to. That kind of guilt is useful.
Just my twopenn'orth...