Yes, I Make Mistakes that I Truly Regret
Wednesday Inspiration
Back in college in the early 1990s, one of my roommates had a poster on her wall with a poem. I can't remember who wrote the poem or what the poem said exactly, but it had to do with how people in an area brought down trees.
This particular group of people discovered a much more efficient way to fell a tree than to use an axe. Instead, they would circle around it and start yelling. Eventually, the tree would simply die and fall over.
The moral of the story was this (and I hope I remember it correctly): “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts.”
“Why?”
As a force-free dog trainer, I never use intimidation, fear, pain, or violence to motivate dogs in training. Not only is it unnecessary, but it can hurt your relationship with your dog.
Nonetheless, sometimes in daily life, my dogs do things that trigger me. I get upset.
Sometimes, I even yell.
It may happen rarely, but it does happen from time to time.
Why? Why do I do that when I know that it can be counterproductive and even goes against the very philosophy that I try to live by?
It's because I'm a human being. I have emotions, too. And sometimes I go into emotional spaces I really don't like visiting.
Of course, I feel horrible afterward. I think back to that poem. My boys don't deserve me getting upset at them like that.
If you can relate to this story, here’s why…
We are all human beings.
We all make mistakes.
We all have regrets.
And, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you can't turn back time and take back whatever it was that you did wrong today, yesterday, last week, or whenever.
What you can do, however, is try to make it up to those whom you've hurt, and commit to doing better tomorrow.
Living a good life isn't about not making mistakes. It's not about having a life free of regret.
In part, it's about dealing with your mistakes well, learning from them, and using them as an opportunity to grow.
Today, I invite you to take a little time to reflect on some of the mistakes that you have made and the lessons you have learned from them over the years.
Also, you might even consider taking a little extra time to reflect on mistakes you seem to keep making again and again. Why not ponder how you might transform them into growth opportunities for you as a human being who is trying to do better?
Remember, mistakes can be a powerful source of wisdom, but only if you allow them to be.
Peace, Bo
www.evolvingchristianfaith.net
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