a backward glance

a feeling of remorse, and reservation that one gets upon facing a challenge or finding oneself in an unexpected situation

The idiom "a backward glance" originates from the literal action of looking back or turning one's gaze in the opposite direction. It is commonly used to describe the act of reflecting on the past, reviewing previous experiences, or reconsidering one's history or decisions.

After graduating from college, she paused to take a backward glance at her academic journey and the challenges she had overcome.
As she walked away from her childhood home, she couldn't help but take a backward glance, reminiscing about the memories made there.
The old photo album offered a chance for a backward glance into his family's history and traditions.
On his last day at the company, he took a backward glance at the years of hard work and dedication he had invested.
The anniversary of their first meeting prompted a backward glance at the milestones they had achieved in their relationship.