There is not a single person in this room that can tell me, “I have never once made a mistake.” Wrong, we ALL make mistakes, it is our human nature. And we, as a graduating class of senior high school-ers, are the experts in knowing what it’s like to make a wrong decision. We’re so caught up in our own lives and our friends and futures and what it’s going to be like for some of us to live on our own next year, that we sometimes take the easy way out of situations…or what may have seemed to be the easy way out. Yeah, it was probably a good idea at the time, but what happened after you made that decision and felt B.A. for one night? Trouble. So what exactly is my definition of a mistake? It’s a judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, misunderstanding, and misinterpretation. A lot of times I hear people my age say, “Live for today…,” but to me, it sounds like something’s missing. What about what happened yesterday, or what’s going to happen tomorrow? Life in itself is a gift, and it can either bring you more or take them away. My advice? Whether you’re going to college, joining the military or even staying home and getting a job, there are three steps in which you should follow after making a mistake: to admit, amend, and ascertain.
· The first and most difficult thing to do is to ADMIT that you screwed up. It’s easy to come up with excuses as to why something happened and even blame others for your actions…but you have to come to the realization that it was your very OWN decision. Don’t lie and take the easy way out, if you admit the truth, you will soon realize that it is a hundred times easier on yourself, and others. It shows that you are mature and responsible enough to get those pickles sorted out.
· The second point is to amend and come to terms with whoever else might have been involved with your past decisions…but most importantly, you have to forgive YOURSELF. Don’t beat yourself up for whatever it was that happened…you made a mistake and you’re going to make plenty more in the future. “An error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.” Keep your head up, and stay positive. You don’t want to live with regrets and say to yourself, “I wish I would have...” Fix it as soon as possible, because the longer you wait, the less likely it’ll be that you will ask for forgiveness.
· The final step is to ascertain from what’s been done. Life is about learning from your mistakes, not dwelling on the past. Making decisions can come with heavy burdens, but if you’re able and willing to let those burdens lift off your shoulders, it’s a whole new perspective. Once you know you’ve learned from your past decisions, it’s crucial to be sure that you won’t do it again. Set goals and boundary lines for yourself so you don’t fall into the same temptations. If you are repeatedly faced with similar difficulties over and over again, that is most likely a sign that you have not yet learned the lessons in which these situations are trying to teach. “Life presents us with a new opportunity every day. Learn from both your mistakes and accomplishments to help build yourself a better future for tomorrow.”
On this day of graduating from high school, almost all of us have made a decision for what we intend on doing with our lives for the fall of 2012 and I hope that none of you will regret the choices that you have made in making this big decision. Even if your year doesn’t go in the exact direction in which you wanted, I hope that you will all embrace it for what your future has to offer. My challenge to each and every one of you revolves around the three step process in making a mistake: to admit, amend, and ascertain. Don’t feel regretful because something didn’t quite plan out the way that you would have liked it to…take those situations and what you have learned from them to make you the person that you are today; because if it weren’t for your mistakes, you wouldn’t be where you are right now…ready to finally graduate from high school. Good luck out there, class of 2012.
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