Mistakes were made”. If ever there was a phrase that summed up the whole of human existence, it’s this. For all of our brilliant mental capacities that lead to endless discoveries and advances — we are as far from perfect as you can get. To err is indeed human; and about as human as you can get. So, make no bones about it, mistakes were, indeed, made.
It’s almost comical that there seems to be a universal pursuit of perfection. We strive for the one thing that we know that we will never achieve to the point where even our own subconscious denies how fallible we are to ourselves. Now, don’t get me wrong — we notice mistakes made by others. We recognize them almost as soon as they happen. If one is astute enough, they may even see an error of judgement moments before it even occurs. But when it comes to reflection of self, we are usually blind to just how fallible we truly are.
That’s not what this is about, though. There’s a quote by an unknown source that goes “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.” You see, one thing that our particular species obsesses about is the past. Specifically our own. We use previous experiences as a litmus test to what our futures will be. We look behind in order to look ahead. We also use our own past experiences and the supposed wisdom that we have gained from it to bestow upon others advice. Even if it is in the form of “I screwed up this way, don’t follow in my footsteps”. And, let’s be honest, we base this on what our recollection of these events were. So, the longer you live, the further back your memories go. To the point where even those who suffer from Alzheimers still have the ability to remember things that happened to them when they were young.
So, what’s the true purpose of this post? Mistakes were made. By you. By me. By everyone. The path of the past is behind you. The further you go along, the further you have a chance to leave them all behind. To start frest. To begin again. The future only comes to those who truly focus on what is ahead of them. Forgiveness only comes from those who are willing to let the journey of their lives leave a sliver of their past behind. If you ever want to move on, just let go and keep walking. No matter how hard it really, truly is. But, and the end of the day, never forget this:
“Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.”
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