Mistakes

 

Everyone makes mistakes... Right?  It's just a part of life, a part of our learning and growing experience here on earth.  Sometimes though, I really wish there was a way that we could learn just as well from other people's mistakes and not have to make them all over again for ourselves.  Those who have "been there and done that" can only do so much for us, it seems.  Maybe it's just me, but I'm very much a "have to touch the oven to understand it'll burn" kind of person (ok, I'm more of a "keep touching the oven to make sure it's still hot" kind of a person).  I might not seem to be that rebellious, but I definitely have to make my own mistakes before I really understand.  Because of this, I've made a lot of mistakes.

 Now that I'm on the other side of those mistakes (the wisdom side, as I like to call it), it's so hard to see people making the same choices and know that I can't do anything about it!  I know that my parents (both earthly and heavenly) have probably felt exactly this way about me my whole life as they've watched me tumble into one problem after another, and I feel stupid that I didn't listen more.

 I just want to protect the people I love from the hurt that I know comes from mistakes of all shapes and sizes, but I can't.  I can offer advice, give my cautionary tales, lend support, but in the end they get to make the choices.  And honestly, as hard as it is for me now, I know it's just going to get harder.  I can't imagine how hard it's going to be being the parent!  I never thought about this aspect of parenting until now, and I know I'm not going to like it! 

I'm really rambling tonight (too much in my head!), but I guess, in the end, we're all going to make mistakes-some big and some little-because none of us are perfect.  And, whether or not we think we deserve it, there is always someone there who can help us pick up the pieces (or to heal our burns, as the case may be.)  I can't keep anyone else from getting burned and I try as I might, I can't take away the pain once they've been hurt, but there is someone who can.  I am so grateful that I have a Savior who was willing to feel all that pain so that my stupid mistakes don't have to hurt so much.