Mistakes Happen

Today I watched a kiddo mess up. He did the wrong thing. I had to call him on it. Thankfully, I was able to point it out to him privately and kindly - but he still didn't like the redirection .... And he shut down. I'm talking hard core, pout central - head down, slumped body, stomped away and threw himself into a chair. 

At first I let it go. We have 1.5 days left of school, and people, I am aaaallll about choosing my battles. 

But then he didn't want to play the game we were starting. And when his friends tried to comfort him, he snapped at them. And when my cadet offered to help him, he grouched around. So, after unsuccessfully trying to talk to him, I slid him this image pulled up on my phone: 

He didn't say a word. He slid my phone back to the edge of the table to me, and he stayed there. And I thought maybe it hadn't worked .... But then, moments later, he got up, and joined our game. And I just smiled and welcomed him subtly as we moved on. 

I don't know that he'll remember that moment "forever" ... But I will. 

All he needed was a gentle reminder of something I need reminded of aaaallll the time: it's okay to mess up. 

Try as we might, we aren't petfect. You aren't, my students aren't, and I am certainly not. And sometimes it just plan stinks to not be perfect. Being wrong doesn't feel good and knowing you've done wrong isn't a good feeling either.

But messing up HAPPENS. It has. It will. Probably more than we like to think about  and certainly more than we care to admit. 

And .... It's okay.

God knew we'd mess up. In fact, he had a whole plan to save us from our mess ups before we even had a chance to begin. HE is the only perfect one. You and I? We just have to keep trying our best. 

So, you get up. You apologize. You clean up and fix up whatever mess needs handled as best you can .... And then you just keep going. Don't stagnate. Don't sulk. Get up and try again. Try a different way. Try with a bit of help. Try a different thing. But don't stop.

Pouting has never made anything better.

But moving forward does.

Maybe that means going back to church after years way. Maybe it means swallowing your pride and apologizing to a friend. Maybe it means going back and doing a better job at something you did half a job at the first time. 

Take the time. Put in the work. Keep going. Because everyone makes mistakes - but it's how you respond to and move forward from them that matters.