Don’t Get It — Or Regret It: A Holiday-Market Lesson for Laurens County Doers, Dreamers, and Difference-Makers

By Brenda Stewart, Publisher

There’s something magical about wandering through a European Christmas market — lights twinkling overhead, music drifting through cobblestone streets, vendors showcasing handcrafted treasures. While exploring one of these markets on my current travels, I picked up an item I loved, admired it, imagined exactly where it would go… and then put it back, telling myself, “I’ll come get it later.”

Later never came.

We tried circling back, but in the maze of stalls and holiday excitement, that little gem — and the chance to buy it — was gone.

And with that, a simple phrase became our traveling motto:

“Don’t get it and you’ll regret it.”

It’s a market lesson, sure — but also a striking reminder of how easy it is to miss opportunities in our everyday lives, our businesses, and our community.

Not Deciding Is Still a Decision

Most of us don’t regret the decisions we make nearly as much as the ones we delay. Waiting feels harmless, but not deciding is still a decision — and often the one that costs us the most.

Every time we hesitate, we choose to stand still. We choose to let opportunity pass. And we choose to let issues linger longer than they should. That quiet, unintended decision can lead to missed chances, lost momentum, and problems that grow instead of resolve.

That’s true whether you’re running a business, leading a nonprofit, serving in local government, or simply trying to make a difference here in Laurens County.

This Applies to Your Life… and to Our Local Community

If you have been thinking about starting a business or getting involved in the revitalization of your town, don’t sit on the sidelines wondering if you can make a go of it. Don’t watch others step in and make an impactful difference while you wait for the “perfect moment.”

Opportunities rarely wait.
And communities grow stronger when more voices, doers, and dreamers step forward.

Maybe you’ve had an idea for months.
Maybe you’ve spotted a need no one else is filling.
Maybe you’ve wanted to volunteer, mentor, sponsor, or show up in a new way.

If it has been on your mind, that’s your nudge.

Don’t Let “Later” Become “Never”

In business and community leadership, here’s what we see time and again:

• The idea you hesitate on becomes the opportunity someone else seizes.

• The project you delay grows more complicated, not less.

• The chance to contribute — to your workplace or your town — slips by quietly while you wait for certainty.

If your instinct says the time is right… it probably is.

A Local Call to Action

Laurens County is filled with people who care deeply about their neighborhoods, schools, and downtowns. We are at our best when residents step in — not out — and when ideas turn into action instead of someday intentions.

So whether you’re considering a business, a partnership, a volunteer role, or simply lending your voice to something meaningful, remember:

Not deciding is deciding.
And it might just be the one decision you regret most.

Now — back to traveling and the markets I go…

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