Mistakes

My cell phone rang this morning and a disconsolate “brain” began commiserating that it was only the middle of January and the mistakes (especially in relation to the one New Year resolution that had been made) were already piling up. I said, “That’s likely a good thing,” and explained that mistakes help you to recognize yourself as a human being. Everyone makes mistakes—if he or she is doing anything, that is. The only people who make no mistakes are those who have died, and sometimes a serious mistake triggered that death.  I like the words of Neil Gaiman: “Hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.” The caller went on to say, “But I am so embarrassed!” More tomorrow.