"He who never made a mistake, never made a discovery." -Samuel Smiles
As a teacher, I usually find that I am the one teaching the lessons. Its time for me to put down chalk (ok, white board marker) and get schooled.
When I was a kid, my family used to visit this strip mall. As we would pass the different storefronts I would find myself looking inside, until we reached my favorite locale, the beauty shop. This shop was like nothing I'd ever seen, mostly because my mom cut my hair for the majority of my younger years. But that wasn't the best part about this place. They pierced ears.
Now that doesn't sound like anything special, but to the little girlie girl that I was, this was fantastic. Every time we passed this shop, I would simply state a phrase similar to this, "Let's go get my ears pierced!" and much to my 5 year old dismay, the response was always a sharp "no!" That was until my 6th birthday. Same mall, same me, same parents. As my dad and I walk past this store I simply utter, "Can I get my ears pierces?" to which I was certain the answer would be that finite "No," but this time I was met with a cheerful "ok!"
I was shocked. How could my loving parents even imagine poking holes in my precious ears! Immediately I regretted this decision! What were they thinking? Do they not know I'm only 6?!! My poor father then found himself dragging me into this store kicking and screaming. literally.
Well, I did get my ears pierced, and ten years later I found myself with a second hole in both ears. Was it a mistake? I'd like to think not. Did I regret it? No. It was a learning experience for me. Make sure you want something before you ask for it.
Looking back at this experience I realize that little anecdote from my childhood isn't necessarily the most meaningful example of lessons learned, or new discoveries, and it may not have been a mistake, but I definitely discovered something about myself that day. It would have been easy to chicken out, refuse to dare, but if you want something, go get it. (something I'm still not the greatest at today)
I continue to learn from events in my life and mistakes are one of the best ways to do that. When met with a new situation it is difficult to know how to react (I try not to include the kicking and screaming anymore). I hope that people don't hold my mistakes against me, as I try to do the same. Life holds so many discoveries that we need to make. Think about what you have learned from your life experiences and tell me they didn't make you who you are today.
When I was a kid, my family used to visit this strip mall. As we would pass the different storefronts I would find myself looking inside, until we reached my favorite locale, the beauty shop. This shop was like nothing I'd ever seen, mostly because my mom cut my hair for the majority of my younger years. But that wasn't the best part about this place. They pierced ears.
Now that doesn't sound like anything special, but to the little girlie girl that I was, this was fantastic. Every time we passed this shop, I would simply state a phrase similar to this, "Let's go get my ears pierced!" and much to my 5 year old dismay, the response was always a sharp "no!" That was until my 6th birthday. Same mall, same me, same parents. As my dad and I walk past this store I simply utter, "Can I get my ears pierces?" to which I was certain the answer would be that finite "No," but this time I was met with a cheerful "ok!"
I was shocked. How could my loving parents even imagine poking holes in my precious ears! Immediately I regretted this decision! What were they thinking? Do they not know I'm only 6?!! My poor father then found himself dragging me into this store kicking and screaming. literally.
Well, I did get my ears pierced, and ten years later I found myself with a second hole in both ears. Was it a mistake? I'd like to think not. Did I regret it? No. It was a learning experience for me. Make sure you want something before you ask for it.
Looking back at this experience I realize that little anecdote from my childhood isn't necessarily the most meaningful example of lessons learned, or new discoveries, and it may not have been a mistake, but I definitely discovered something about myself that day. It would have been easy to chicken out, refuse to dare, but if you want something, go get it. (something I'm still not the greatest at today)
I continue to learn from events in my life and mistakes are one of the best ways to do that. When met with a new situation it is difficult to know how to react (I try not to include the kicking and screaming anymore). I hope that people don't hold my mistakes against me, as I try to do the same. Life holds so many discoveries that we need to make. Think about what you have learned from your life experiences and tell me they didn't make you who you are today.
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