In both my high school and college yearbooks, I selected the same quote as my favorite. "Perfection is consuming, (but) it seems we're only human after all."
The words, which come from a song written by singer-songwriter Eric Carmen, basically mean that although we try hard, everyone makes mistakes, goofs and bad choices.
Personally, I am a charter member of Clumsy Nation. If anything can be broken, dropped, tripped over, stepped on or misplaced, I have done it.
Who among us has not looked for our sunglasses when they were perched on our head or searched frantically for our cellphone while using it? How many of us have driven to the grocery store to buy milk and realize when we get home that milk was not among the three grocery bags full of items that we just bought? What about having to head back to the car because you forgot your mask?
I took an informal poll of my friends and co-workers asking what silly mistakes they have made, and they related their real-life experiences.
"Turning on the light switch when the power is out to see what the problem is."
"Putting my house phone in my purse thinking it was my cellphone" and "Grabbing the TV remote as I left the house because I thought it was my cellphone."
"Looking for the TV remote and finding it in the refrigerator."
"While working in a warehouse, dropping my cellphone that was in my back pocket and then running over it with a forklift."
"Writing a not-so-nice email about my boss to a co-worker, and then sending it to my boss instead."
"Looking for my car key while it is in my hand."
"Dropping the hose at the gas pump and, after it hits the ground, getting splashed with gasoline."
"While resetting the clock on the mantel, looking at the spot where the clock should be to determine what time to set it while holding the clock in my hand."
"Adding baking soda to a recipe instead of baking powder."
"Wearing two identical pumps to work, but one shoe was blue and the other one was black."
"Depositing my paycheck into my savings account rather than my checking account, causing the checks I had written to pay bills to all bounce."
"While using the restroom at a convenience store, placing my handbag in the sink, which had an automatic faucet, causing my purse to fill with water."
"Spending an hour trying to find a parking place at the ballpark only to discover after being seated that our tickets included VIP parking."
An important note is that while sharing these true stories, the people telling them were able to laugh and smile because the immediate impact of their mistakes has eased with the passage of time. The lesson here is to keep a sense of humor as life sends its little challenges and learn how to laugh at yourself.
Everyone makes mistakes and says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Like the quote says, it is part of being human. The key is to laugh, let go of the negative and keep pushing forward.
And always remember, people in your life love you not despite your mistakes and imperfections; they love you because of them.
Leave a Review