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Personally, I haven't done anything that was too shameful in my life, but it is therapeutic to purge the soul. I'll share an experience think about from time to time that makes me feel guilty.
When I was just a young kid, maybe 10 or 11, I was playing pick-up pond hockey with a bunch of guys my age. There was one kid who was playing goalie, not wearing any pads, so lifting the puck was against the rules. He wasn't a very good skater, but for some reason I could never get the puck by him, and it was starting to frustrate me. During the game I shot the puck at him again, and he saved it, but fell down in front of the goal, and the puck rebounded back to me. My next decision was really stupid. He was obviously in a vulnerable position and I could tell by the look on his face that he knew it, but I took a hard wrist shot that hit him right in the mouth. I don't remember much after that, but he was helped off the ice, and I'm sure he lost a couple of teeth (not to mention blood). His family was not very well off, so I don't know if he ever got much dental care. I don't remember ever seeing him around the pond much or anywhere around school after that. I always wonder if I hurt more than just his mouth with my careless act.
Anywhoo, I managed to make better decisions about my actions since then, I guess, since I never hurt anyone too badly after that.
BTW, I also worked in a lab that used test animals..mostly rats. I never had to personally kill any, but I always felt a little guilty about being a party to it.
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