Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. This sweater that I crocheted for myself, turned out to be a mistake. It was just too bulky. It was uncomfortable. And it seriously never got cold enough in four years to wear it in New Orleans. I dismantled it, and made this blanket.

The blanket is the width of my theater chair and about six feet long, so perfect as a throw when watching television or a movie or reading a book.

What is the point? Often we make a big deal about it when we make a mistake, or when someone else makes a mistake. But a lot of those mistakes that we make a big deal about don't matter at all except for the hurt we cause when we make a big deal.

The sweater represented hours of work. I did the work. I didn't neglect anything or anyone to do the work. No one cared when I deconstructed the sweater, and to be honest, no one cared when I created the blanket.

Anytime someone makes a mistake that doesn't hurt anyone, we can all strive to not make the person who made the mistake feel worse by making a big deal out of it.

Stuff gets spilled, stuff gets broken, wrong answers are shouted out during Jeopardy in your living room. Dinners are late, laundry gets left in the washer or the dryer, dishes don't get put in the sink or dishwasher.

Mostly, innocent mistakes. We can make them a big deal, or let them go. There will be enough times in your life where deliberate actions need to be corrected. Where deliberate actions need to be discussed for the harm or potential harm they can cause.

Innocent mistakes? I think those are better addressed with reassurance that we are all human, and we all make mistakes. Fixing any unpleasantness the mistake caused is appropriate. Ridicule and shame are not.

The more kindness we exhibit, the kinder the world becomes.

It is really not hard. Extend grace whenever you can. We can each make the world a better place, one kind act at a time. One not fussed over mistake at a time.