A mistake is always the wrong fork in the road that's taken.
A mistake is the easy way out.
A mistake is the only way out that we see through windows of rage, frustration or fear.
There are mistakes I'm proud I've made. After all, a person who hasn't made mistakes hasn't done anything. An event less life, that. But then again, there are some that I'm not proud of. I cringe at their very thought. Mistakes made due to misunderstandings, mistakes made in anger, and worst of all, mistakes made on purpose.
When I read the newspapers, I see a whole lot of mistakes staring at my face.A student committed suicide because of low marks(!). A drunk driver knocks down 4 pedestrians. Well, it might have been his first, and maybe his last, big mistake. Do we forgive him?Do the bereaved families forgive him? Ramalingaraju.. he might have been a good man if you put the scam aside. But do we forgive him? A woman married to an alcoholic killed her 2 polio stricken daughters and committed suicide because she lost all hope. Should she be forgiven? There are some mistakes that don't give us another chance. Costly mistakes, these.
Here's a small poem I associate with making mistakes.
"There's a Hole in My Sidewalk" by Portia Nelson
I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.
Today, I believe making mistakes is not a bad thing. I learn from them, some the hard way. Taking responsibility for my mistakes makes me a better person. What is bad is when my mistakes hurt people. And those are mistakes I still want to be a missed take in the reel of life.
