Today, Mary and I substituted our usual after lunch nap with a brisk walk through the neighborhood. Somehow the temp in the low sixties, the sky filled with sunshine, and Belle at our side made us both feel like it was spring. But could it be? It’s only February 2, and the groundhog saw his shadow just a few hours earlier. Spring can’t be here for 6 more weeks! It never fails!! Or, does it?
“Ah ha!” I said to Mary, “It is spring; look here on this bush. Yellow flowers! The forsythia is starting to bloom!”
“Whom are we to believe?” She asked “The Forsythia or the groundhog?”
We continued past a large, beautiful, split-granite stone home with a sweeping lawn, mature trees, and beds of daffodils just starting to bloom. That confirmed it! Spring is here!!! And not too soon! Forget the groundhog; believe in Spring!
Now, if it snows next month, blame me. I have a right to be wrong. Enjoy the now, now.
Speaking of being wrong, make sure your kids know they, too, have the right to be wrong. The only people who are never wrong, are the ones that never say or do anything! It is said that Edison was wrong about the electric light bulb hundreds of times as he tried filament after filament until he found the one that worked.
Do we give ourselves and our kids that option? Or do we require them and ourselves to be perfect?
Dare to take a chance, take a risk, have fun, and live your life. But use the judgement you have learned from all the mistakes your predecessors and you have made. Just don’t do things that will be life threatening, unless you have to, to protect the life, health, or safety of someone else. That’s a fine line and can only be learned by the mistakes you and others have already made!
Mary gave one of our grandsons, who is studying to be a research scientist, a Christmas ornament that said, “Of course we don’t know what we are doing. That’s why it’s called research!” He, like all other researchers will learn, like we all do, from his mistakes.
Learn from your mistakes and let your kids have enough room to make some of their own. Then let them learn!
Knowledge comes from other peoples mistakes, wisdom is learned from your own mistakes. Or is it the other way around. I could be mistaken, let me know if I am!