Saying no haunts for decades

At thirty-four he was offered a post overseas. His child was small, there was a mortgage, his English felt shaky. He declined politely. Ten years later someone else was in that job, and he lay awake listening to stories about them. The Cornell elders said the odds of regretting a yes are far lower than the odds of regretting a no. Regret over a yes usually becomes a joke within a week. Regret over a no keeps.