Have you ever carried a regret — something you wish you’d said, done, or understood differently?

If AI could take you back to those moments, helping you relive them, notice what you once missed, and perhaps find peace ， would you want to try it?

The Story — Eulogy

Once upon a time, there was a man who had just retired. He lived a quiet, peaceful life, enjoying his days in solitude.

One seemingly ordinary afternoon, his phone rang. The caller ID displayed an unfamiliar number, but something compelled him to answer.

A calm, professional voice greeted him. It was from a mysterious company, calling on behalf of the family of someone he hadn’t heard from in years — his former lover. She had just passed away. Her family, hoping to preserve the fragments of her past, asked if he would be willing to help piece together the memories they once shared.

He hesitated. The past was a tangled web of emotions, and opening that door again felt frightening and strangely alluring. After a long pause, with a quiet sigh and a mix of uncertainty and unspoken longing, he said yes. He had no idea that this one choice would take him on an unexpected journey — one of rediscovery, buried emotions, and long-forgotten moments.

Soon after, a package arrived: the “Memory Kit.” Inside was a small, button-like device. When he placed it near his temple and turned it on, a soft, warm female voice spoke — it was an AI guide, carefully designed to help him recall the woman he once loved.

But there was a problem.

He couldn’t remember her. Not her voice. Not her face. Everything about her was blurry, as if time had quietly erased the edges of their story.

The AI gently suggested that he try looking for old photos or videos that might spark his memory. He made his way down to the dusty basement, where time seemed to have stood still. After rummaging through boxes filled with forgotten keepsakes, he finally found some old photographs. But something was deeply unsettling — her face had been cut out of every single one.

He froze. He couldn’t even remember what she looked like. The memories that were once vivid and full of warmth now felt distant, like shadows slipping through his fingers.

As fragments of the past began to surface, he remembered how they first met — how she was engaged at the time. Still, their connection was undeniable. They fell in love, stole moments between the chaos, travelled together, and took countless photos. And yet, for reasons he couldn’t fully explain even to himself, he had removed her face from every picture.

One memory struck him with particular force. It was his birthday. She, a gifted cellist, had gone on tour with her orchestra and couldn’t be there. She had called to wish him a happy birthday. But he made a mistake that many men might make on a lonely night — his female colleague picked up the phone. The silence on the other end spoke louder than any words. They fought. Words were said that couldn’t be taken back. She returned only long enough to pack her bags — and then she was gone.

In fact, after their fight, he had bought a ring. With hope still alive in his heart, he travelled to the city where her orchestra was performing and reserved a table at an elegant restaurant, planning to propose. But fate, as it often does, had other plans. He was too late.

Years later, with the guidance of the AI, he uncovered something he had missed all those years ago — a note she had left behind in the room before she walked away. Somehow, back then, he had completely overlooked it.

In that note, she made a heartbreaking confession: she, too, had momentarily lost her way. In her confusion, she had been unfaithful, and later discovered she was pregnant. She admitted there was no love in that betrayal, only fear and loneliness. She asked for his forgiveness and left an address, hoping he would still want to see her, to talk, to try again.

But he never read the note. And because of that missed moment, their story, once full of love and possibility, was lost forever, drowned in misunderstanding and silence.

He carried the weight of regret like a shadow, following him through the rest of his life.

Until, in the final moments of his journey, the AI revealed a truth she had kept hidden: she was not just an artificial guide, but the digital avatar of his ex-girlfriend’s daughter.

In the final scene, he attended his former lover’s funeral. In the quiet hall, a girl sat on stage, playing the cello. The music drifted softly through the air, like a voice calling from the past — familiar, aching, beautiful.

And in that moment, as the notes wrapped around him like an old memory, he finally saw her face again. Her smile. Her eyes.

Love had never truly vanished. It had simply waited — buried beneath time, silence, and sorrow — until he was ready to find it again.

He finally found peace.

This is the story told in the seventh season of Black Mirror, in the hauntingly beautiful episode titled “Eulogy.”

The Lingering Shadows: Forgetting Isn’t Always Letting Go

People are complex. Sometimes, a casual decision made years ago — or a moment of impulse — can leave us with a lifetime of regret.

There are things we believe we’ve moved on from, memories we think we’ve buried. But in truth, they linger like seeds planted deep within us. Over time, they grow into quiet knots in our hearts — subtle, but powerful. Without even realizing it, these knots can shape how we live today, influencing our emotions, our relationships, and the choices we make.

Echoes of What Was: AI’s Invitation to Face Lost Moments

We all carry a few lingering regrets — missed chances, words left unsaid, paths not taken. Sometimes, they rise to the surface when we least expect it.

But what if an AI could help you “go back,” not to change the past, but to revisit those moments? To see what you missed, to feel what you buried, to say what was left unspoken. Would you take that chance?

Maybe nothing on the outside would change — but inside, something might shift. You might finally release the emotions you’ve held in for so long, or find the courage to truly face your regrets… and make peace with them.

I’d love to hear your story. What’s the one moment you wish you could revisit — and would you want AI to help you do it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.