Mistakes

The photo above highlights a mistake I recently made. Apparently, I didn't pay close attention to the directions! I was so excited to make a photo book of our recent trip to Egypt. I loaded about 80 photos into the program and couldn't wait to see the finished product. I received it in the mail, opened the box and just laughed at the title to my new book. I have since created a new title with a label maker and kinda put a fix on it. This is just the latest example of mistakes I make when I get in a hurry.

There was no real reason for me to be in a hurry on this book project. I'm retired and have plenty of time. At the time I sat down to do the project I had absolutely nothing planned. I have no idea what causes me to get in such a hurry sometimes. When I sat down to do the book something in me said do it as quick as possible and be done with it. You see the result.

This mistake made me think of numerous mistakes I have made in the past and all are probably related to rushing through whatever I was doing. Years ago when I was still working, I made the mistake a few times of putting on one blue and one black dress sock. Surely, everyone out there has done that. I always put the 10% ethanol gas in my cars, but I have made the mistake at least once of grabbing the premium gas nozzle and pumping away. When doing home improvement projects, I often cut the same wrong angle or wrong length twice in a row until I take my time to really look at what I'm doing. Another recent mistake I made was at Thanksgiving. My wife was making some fudge and asked me to get some of the ingredients for her including Vanilla Extract. I pulled out a bottle that looks like Vanilla but once she poured it in the mixture she turned it around to see I had given her Orange Extract! All of these mistakes could have been avoided if I wasn't in such a hurry.

I try my best not to hurry in life so I can enjoy a nice slow retirement vibe. Sometimes, I just can't do it and it gets me into trouble. Not serious trouble, but a little stupid trouble. I laugh at most of these mistakes and get on with my life so it's not too big of a deal.

I think mistakes just show we are human. I will laugh at my Egypt photo book for the rest of my life. I'm sure my wife and I will talk about our Orange Extract chocolate fudge every Thanksgiving. I laid new tile in the bathroom of our last home. In the very middle I had one tile that was just a little crooked. Most people would never notice, but I noticed it every time I went in there and I would smile about my handiwork. When I think about these mistakes they give me a little memory dividend that I mentioned in my last post. Without the mistakes, those particular things would have no acknowledgement in my brain.

How many times have you made silly mistakes?  What are the most memorable ones? Surely you have a unique story to share that still makes you smile today. How many times have you been in a hurry to get dressed and as you button up the shirt realize you have an extra button at the bottom on one side? You look in the mirror and realize your collar is also up a little on one side as you have buttoned the shirt all wonky.

Embrace your mistakes, learn and carry on. I will double check my work on the next photo book and I will always read the label on the Extract the next go around!