Errors are a natural part of life, and they come in many different forms and sizes. Many young people tend to believe that because they are young, they are more likely to make mistakes than those who are older than them. The truth is that all human beings make errors all the time, but when we get older we are simply able to manage and correct them more efficiently. Being able to accept that you have made mistakes is a mark of great maturity. A very important sign of growth is the ability to look back at our past and correct our errors or at least ensure that we are not repeating them.
In fact, Orlando Aloysius Battista once said “An error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it”.
However, what happens when you encounter mistakes that you simply cannot correct? What if you have done something unforgivable to someone you love? What if you have broken something valuable that you cannot fix? What if you have made a choice that you simply cannot undo?
In a different part of the world, there are little animals called beavers which spend much of their time gnawing on trees and branches. By gnawing, they are able to fell trees so that they can use the wood to build their homes. During this process the beavers must be extremely attentive.
They must pause and listen to see if the tree is about to fall, then they must move away swiftly so that they do not get crushed. This process of felling a tree can take a few minutes or a few hours for a beaver, but even the slightest mistake or lack of timing may result in their death. For many other animals in the wild like the beaver, the consequence of making a mistake is a swift and final death. Most animals do not have a chance to learn from their mistakes. Instead, natural selection ensures that future members of the species do not have the same behaviours as those creatures that did not survive.
In comparison to the lives of animals, it is evident that human beings seem to have a little more room for error. Mistakes and errors will rarely mean death. In addition, we have the chance to learn from our mistakes as well as those from others, unlike animals. When in the moment, an error can seem like the worst thing in the world, especially when you realise that your mistake is something that cannot be corrected. However, if you know how to move forward, an error will not mean that it is the end of your life.
For the mistakes that you make with people, ask for their forgiveness and change your behaviour. For the mistakes you make with choices, try to make the best out of your situation and lend your advice to those who face the same choices. Life is a path of trial and error, do not place too much weight on the errors you make or you may lose the wisdom that you may gain from those moments.
