Mistakes Make You

When I was young I did my best not to make a mistake. My parents wanted me to make straight A's in Catholic schools. I always stood when called upon and I knew better than to ever misbehave. I was studious, quiet and hovered just under the radar to survive the strict and often punitive environment. I tried hard for years to win the penmanship award and never came close.
I was surprised when I won the combined citizenship and scholarship award my first quarter at the Catholic school in Southern California. We had recently moved there from cold Ohio. The nuns awarded me the special pin to wear proudly for the entire next quarter. It was to be passed on to the next winning recipient the following quarter. The pin was gold with delicate colored enameling and engraving. It was the nicest piece of jewelry I had been given. My special jewelry gifts to date were a small gold cross from my parents and a holy medal from my grandmother on my first Communion day.
I lost the pin shortly after the first week it had been presented to me. As the weeks went by, I couldn't even remember what it looked like. I just knew I had to win it again the next quarter so I wouldn't get into trouble for losing it. It was a pressure packed year for me as a sixth grader. If one consistently won the award, they were allowed to keep the pin at the end of the year. It was the first time I had ever kept such a secret. I lost the pin and I was afraid to admit it. I didn't want to be punished or be perceived as irresponsible by my parents, classmates or by the nuns. How had such a good thing gone so bad?
I created so much stress for myself by pretending and keeping that secret. All I focused on was studying hard to continue to earn the pin I had lost. I know today the truth is much simpler, if not easier, to deal with. Today, whenever I make a mistake, I do my best to move on. For the most part, we are better for having made mistakes. What we learn from them becomes a wiser part of who we are.