Many mistakes of my life

What do mistakes mean for human beings? Are we supposed to count them, dwell on them, or as a wise man learn from them? In my case, there are many instances when I feel guilty or regret my mistakes. However when I muse over the same “mistakes”, it certainly does not feel like mistakes. In fact it brings a happy grin on my face, a feeling of joy and triumph. I probably made countless mistakes but with every mistake I recollect an equally ecstatic and enriching experience.

Mistakes are part of me because it symbolizes my actions in life. It reflects my temperament, my spirit and my soul. My mistakes bring me some form of joy that is difficult to explain. Mahatma Gandhi once said “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes”. The journey of life calls for continuous pursuit of success and happiness that cannot be achieved without making mistakes. Big wins call for big mistakes. However for some strange reason, as we age, we preach the younger generation on how they should learn from others mistakes.

Do you remember when you started swimming? You made mistakes. You violated every code of swimming. Your parents and friends probably had a good laugh. And when you made all the possible mistakes without drowning, what happened? You learned to swim. The same goes for life.

The world is full of information on mistakes people made in life, and how we should avoid the same pitfalls. We are constantly warned on mistakes, categorized as financial mistakes, relationship mistakes, life mistakes, career mistakes, stupid mistakes etc. For everything that is done right, we exemplify 100 things that are done wrong. We cite history to show mistakes that our great leaders made and how we should avoid it. But one needs to ask on how ordinary people became great leaders? They became great because they dared to make mistakes. Success is a by-product of action and every action calls for mistakes.

Every act of man is done consciously or sub-consciously. When people gamble in a casino, the odds are always against them, so loosing in a casino cannot be a mistake. Similarly killing someone after drinking and driving, or shooting someone it certainly cannot be excused as a mistake. And even if one did, then one has to bear the consequences of such action.

Should we repeat our mistakes? We should not be afraid to do so. Falling in love with a wrong person does not mean the end of love. You most certainly should fall in love as many times as you can. Making a wrong investment does not make you a fool.

Don’t be scared to make mistakes.

Don’t be scared of the outcome of mistakes you make.

Don’t be scared of repeating some mistakes.

Don’t think that your birth was a mistake that you need to correct all your life.

Nothing is more fun than living life - a journey full of beautiful mistakes.