Sometimes You Blow It
It was a nasty car accident. It was my fault, and I felt really stupid.
I was driving in New Orleans a few years ago and dropping my son, Brock, off at work so I could have the car for the day before we drove his car back to Chicago for Easter.
New Orleans is filled with parallel one-way streets, and they are confusing to me. When you turn left, you are supposed to turn when your light is green, then go through the red light of the parallel one-way street going the other way…that’s what you are supposed to do. But you’re also supposed to check for traffic before going through that red light. Between the parallel streets there are trees and bushes, and it makes it hard to see. But still, I could’ve seen the car coming. For whatever reason, I didn’t, and I hit another car while driving my son’s car.
Like I said, I felt really stupid.
Have you ever done something like that? Messed up in a big way, and you knew it was your own doing? Maybe you wrecked a friendship or blew your finances. Flunked a class? Said something you shouldn’t have?
Here’s my thought process in the aftermath:
Own it. The worst thing you can do is pass the blame or make excuses. Yet, that’s our natural inclination. But when you do that, you are inviting a similar calamity in the near future. Shirking responsibility is like saying, “Ok, God, I didn’t learn my lesson. Give it to me again.”
Confess it. I apologized to the lady I hit. I told the cop it was my fault. I don’t think we ever really own our mistakes if we don’t verbalize it through confession.
Learn from it. Maybe it’s 40 years of safe driving, enjoying the warm 70 degree morning with the window open, looking around at unfamiliar and interesting landscape…I let my guard down and forgot how dangerous driving a car is. My lesson: Vigilance behind the wheel at all times! If you’ve owned your mistake and confessed it, a little time in prayer and reflection will reveal some valuable lessons.
Move on. There are usually some lingering consequences that you have to deal with. My insurance premium went up. Blown relationships or blown finances have aftereffects. But you have to move on. Deal with the consequences, but accept God’s forgiveness and stop beating yourself up. If you’ve learned from your mistake, incorporate the lesson into your life, and keep living.
Being human has a lot of joys, and some challenges. Doing stupid things is one of them.