[steve_g]

I think "my wife is a hospice worker who has provided care to over 5000 patients and hasn't heard these regrets" is a pretty decent argument. I'm not saying Hanson is right, but I wouldn't dismiss his wife's experience.

[StopTheWorld]

I am not a hospice worker, but I have heard more than one old person say #2 and #4 - that they were busy working and did not get to see their kids growing up as much as they wanted, and they wish they had not lost touch with old, good friends. Not sure why she did not hear this from the thousands of older people she worked with in hospice care, I have certainly heard it.

[coldtea]

>is a pretty decent argument

Well, did she fish for them? The author states that she disagrees about asking such things, so isn't the answer no?

(And, beyond asking: is she the type people would trust with such things, or e.g. does she come of as more cold, etc? There can be many factors).