thankful Thursday

I was talking to my manager the other day - we were going to serve one of my employees a corrective for stealing time from the company. We went back and forth with it - going over what we were going to say and how we were going to say it. He wasn't really going over what he was going to say, but just giving me the experience.

I told him that I believe everyone comes to the point in their life when they realize that making mistakes is okay - that poor judgment is okay ... that we need to recognize it and move forward. He agreed and we talked more about how we thought this fit in with that particular employee ... how she's not quite in that time of her life right now.

He thought we were talking about my employee - and we were, but it fit into my own life as well. I'm currently at a point in my life that I call out my mistakes. If you ask me about what I've done - I will tell you that I made poor choices. I won't necessarily talk about the details but I will tell you that I wish I could take them back. All the mistakes that I would have lied about - to make myself seem better or to not get into trouble, now doesn't matter.

There (usually) comes a point in everyone's life that they simply don't care if others know about their mistakes. It doesn't make a bit of difference. I believe we all are imperfect - we all make mistakes - we all make choices that simply aren't the best ... but it doesn't make it okay for others to judge us or make fun of us.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for the mistakes I've made. I'm thankful that they made me a stronger and wiser person. I'm thankful that they have made me a more honest person. If I continued going down that same path - things would be different - things would have been more serious. I'm thankful that I got into a bit of trouble - just the bit in which I got was enough to get the message across. I don't wish these mistakes upon anyone. I don't wish a person get arrested or in trouble that way - however, you come out changed in the end. You come out smarter and more appreciative of the things you have in your life.

I'm, of course, thankful for family and friends - for people loving me more than I sometimes do myself. I'm thankful for my psychologists - for showing me a future that I could have never imagined to be true. I'm thankful I'm surrounded by people that have gone through similar things. I'm thankful that I've woken up for as many years as I have - I'm thankful to be breathing and alive. I'm thankful I've struggled - I'm thankful I've gone through challenges that most others haven't - I have one up on them!

I'm thankful for the love and caring I'm able to show others and that is shown to me. I'm thankful for those that are understanding, forgiving and are like me - mistake makers! I'm thankful for the beauty I get to see everyday around me - in my life, in my community, in my world!