JACK'S REGRETS

It is a simple observation.

Will you look back on life and say, 'I wish I had,' or 'I'm glad I did'? — Zig Ziglar

In the linear progression of events, everyone has regrets. For every decision, there are consequences. Some paths open while others close forever. The mental game is "what would have happened" if I did X instead of Y.

Let us examine Jack's life.

First major life decision was following in his father's career path: medical school. Was this something that he truly wanted to do, or was the need of his father's approval clouded Jack's judgment? Was there even an alternative (like music which was the secret for his fantasy son, David)?

But without medical school and a staff position at his father's hospital, Jack would have never met Sarah, the critically injured spinal patient. It was this miracle that cemented Jack's mindset that he could cure anybody. It was also a major milestone because Jack's stubbornness against his father's opinion of the patient's condition led to Jack's miracle. As a result, Jack merged his professional achievement with his affection toward Sarah, who was abandoned by her boyfriend right after the accident. Did he feel sorry for her, or did he really fall for her? 

His second major life decision was to marry Sarah. But he got cold feet before the wedding. Then Jack became paranoid about her feelings toward him. Jack self destructed his interpersonal relationships.  Was it because he could not handle his own success?

The third major life decision Jack made was to turn in his father for medical malpractice. Jack first covered up for his drunken father's negligence which killed at patient. But at the very last moment, Jack told the truth. His father's career was ruined. But, in reality, Jack's career would have also been ruined. California has a harsh licensing board - - - to cover up for malpractice is just as bad as the malpractice itself. Jack's behavior cost the hospital millions of dollars in a wrongful death claim. As a result, Jack would have lost his staff privileges and probably his medical license. (This is one of the major plot inconsistencies in the medical-legal issues of the show's scripts which leads some to believe that many of the background elements of the characters were dreams, nightmares or mental fantasies).

So what were Jack's life regrets?

His relationship with his father was strained at best. He never felt that his father acknowledged his accomplishments. His father was always critical. 

His relationship with women was rocky as well. We have no evidence that Jack dated in school or when he was on hospital staff. Was he a shy introvert? Or did he have his job consume all his waking hours? Did he make the conscious decision to fore go personal happiness for the better good of being a surgeon? 

Did Jack wish he could change his life?

If the island was the magic box that made wishes come true, it is hard to tell. He did like helping others. He did like being a surgeon. He did not like losing patients (he became emotional at the end like the last gasp of air by Boone). He could not accept losing patients. Against all hope, he was used to prevailing against all odds. Maybe his ego would not allow him to change.

The escape from the island did change Jack. His time as an O6 survivor led him into a drunken, suicidal depression. There really no reason for this except the Big Lie he concocted in order to "save" the people he had left behind. (Logically, by telling the truth could have launched a real rescue party to save his friends trapped on the island.) Perhaps, it was the perception that Jack on the mainland was not in charge in the way that he was on the island. The 815ers looked to him for leadership. Back in the real world, he could not get the same type of loyalty, even from Kate.

If the show was about a retrospective a character's life, choices and regrets, did we have any "gotcha" monumental climax with the central character of Jack? Not really. He got to speak to his father one last time in a non-substantial fashion. He got no resolution of his prior feelings - - - because once he realized that he was dead, nothing mattered anymore.

And maybe that was the key to Jack's lost soul: nothing matters after you die.