In Jonathan Safran Foer's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," the character reflects on the weight of their life choices. They acknowledge past actions and the mistakes that have shaped their journey but express a deeper regret for the opportunities missed. These unmade choices haunt them more than the errors that have already occurred.
The quote underscores a universal truth about the human experience: the significance of taking action versus the paralysis of inaction. It highlights the struggle with regret and the haunting nature of what could have been, emphasizing that while mistakes can fade, the things left undone linger in the mind.