Each thing we learn adds to our arsenal for navigating life. Some things we learn the hard way through failure and disaster. Some of my best life lessons have been learned through gut wrenching catastrophe. These are the lessons I will NEVER forget and have taught me the value in getting back up no matter how grand the disaster.
I have also experienced immense succesful moments, times when I had to pinch myself to understand that this fantasitc thing was really happening. The moment when I had worked hard for a long period of time and finally realized the positive end result I wanted. It’s like being at the top of a mountain after an arduous climb.
Either way you look at it, learning new things can be challenging and uncomfortable. When we deny someone the experience of learning important life lessons we rob them of the ability to add a lesson to their arsenal. Sometimes we tend to want to ‘save’ people from hard times because they are painful, confusing and frustrating. It’s hard to watch someone learn a tough lesson. It is hard to watch them struggle. When we do not resist the urge to ‘help’ or ‘prevent’ misfortune we imply that we know better than the life long lesson they would learn through the anguish. We don’t know best, people do need to fail, and we need to be there no matter the outcome.
What things have you learned that are still with you? What lessons have become your personal best practices or things you will never do again? Who believed in you enough to let you fail and be there to pick you back up? And who needs this same wisdom from you now? Lessons learned come in all sizes, shapes and topics. They stay with us and form the foundation of our character and values. As you move through your day give thanks for the lessons you are applying to make your world a better place to live.
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