If you did it, you own it
“You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.” ~Marc Chernoff, Marc & Angel Hack Life
At some point, we all mess up. Humans make spelling errors, burn the dinner, neglect to return phone calls, forget birthdays, miss deadlines, and turn the wrong way on one-way streets. Sometimes we send embarrassing text messages to the wrong people. Oops. Sometimes we say or do things that hurt other people’s feelings. Nobody leaves this world flawless and error-free.
Yet we all know a few folks who refuse to admit their mistakes. And then there are the ones who manage to screw up a good apology with a bold-faced attempt to justify why or how they made an error. Or they blame someone else.
Butt-covering is cowardly and disrespectful. It’s so much classier to admit our screw-ups, offer a sincere apology, and make the necessary repairs. As today’s quote suggests, there’s a valuable lesson and a growth opportunity in every mistake we make. We humans aren’t perfect, but we can be better. ~CL
***Next week I’ll launch a new series of (free) weekly political columns on Substack. Those who’ve expressed interest will receive a link to my Substack newsletter with subscriber info.
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
