Monday, June 23, 2014

Monday Smiles: Accidental Joy.

Sometimes, mistakes turn out to be pretty awesome, don't they?

I've found that some of my favorite moments came to be completely on accident. As someone who makes a lot of mistakes, it's become second nature to me to make the most of them. Here are some examples:


Back in the day (2008), I was running around outside with a camera and accidentally took the above selfie. It's a little creepy, but I've always really liked the picture for some reason.
 
One day after having lunch with some friends, I took a wrong turn heading home and got lost. I pulled over to figure out where I was, and that's when I noticed this beautiful and peaceful view of my city right in front of me (below). One of these days I will find my way back for a longer visit.
 

Another time I got lost (I get lost a lot) while I was taking a friend home. I went the wrong way on the freeway and instead of going South, I went North and almost drove all the way to Dallas. That definitely added about 30 minutes to our travel time, but I got to spend some extra time with my friend, so it was worth it.

In general, getting lost is such a normal thing for me now that I don't even mind it. In fact, I enjoy all the extra songs I get to listen to by taking a longer route.

When I was in college, I one time walked into the wrong classroom. When I realized what I did and walked back out, one of my classmates was standing in the hall, completely aware of what I had just done. I was pretty embarrassed, but it gave us a conversation piece and he became the first friend I made at UTA.

When I make a mistake while baking for other people, such as messing up the frosting on a cupcake or slightly over-baking a batch of cookies, all that means is I get to eat some for myself!

One of my favorite parts about messing up, though, is experiencing the graciousness of other people. When I send the wrong email to 2000 people at work, or rear-end somebody in my car, or over-sleep and show up late, or break something valuable, there is always someone there waiting with forgiveness and a second chance (and if you're lucky, a story about how they once did something similar). 

My other favorite part about making mistakes is that -- believe it or not -- it gets you one step closer to getting it right. 

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." - George Bernard Shaw

Rejoice in your mistakes, because only good will come of them.

4 comments :

  1. This post made me smile. Not only because I enjoyed reading how you found the best in each situation, but also because you said said you went the wrong way on the freeway (north) and almost drove to Dallas. Dallas is east. :D

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    1. Well I know but from where I was coming from, it was north...or maybe it wasn't Dallas...the point is I should have been on 35-South and I was on 35-North.

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  2. Good reminder! :)

    I gravitate towards type A behavior and personality- I like being on time and all that. (My latest post is on personality so it's on my my mind right now!)

    On my recent trip to germany, getting lost came with the package. That trip really helped me slow down and appreciate the gifts that come from accidents. It definitely left a lasting impression on me, because even though I'm back in America, I don't stress over running a few minutes late anymore.

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    1. I can totally relate to that! I'm very punctual as well, and being late drives me crazy! But sometimes you just have to slow down and realize there are way more important things and take the time to appreciate those.

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