Moving On

The faster we can recover from our failure, the faster we can succeed. 

Awkward in life is unavoidable. For example, a few years ago, while at a fast food restaurant, a man I never had met before made an indelible impression on me.  I was minding my own business eating with my family when a man came out of the bathroom area and readily admitted that he gone into the ladies restroom by accident. 

“I’m from Portland,” is what he uttered loud enough for all to hear.  Then he tried to explain that in Oregon they have men and women’s bathrooms on the opposite side.  It was understandable that he had made an honest mistake and that next time he should just pay closer attention when entered the bathroom.  With that being said he should have just moved on, sat down and ate his fries.  However, he refused to stop talking about it and instead just drew unneeded suspicion to himself. 

A few months ago, I saw the proper response to an awkward moment, albeit a bit rude.  While out of town at a holiday festival my older daughter and I decided to get some lunch for the family at a small pizza shop.  The line at the quaint establishment was about ten people deep and we were just barely able to squeeze inside the front door due to lack of space, like sardines in a can.

“Watch out,” is what I heard next, and then I felt a walker pressing up against my backside.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw an elderly lady and I got me and my daughter out of the way immediately.  When I turned back around she was gone.   I guess fair warning had been given and I was in the way.  Places to go, people to see I suppose, and they were moving on, so to speak.

What a great lesson to learn in life.  The faster we learn to rebound from hardships and stop letting it get the best of us, the better off we are. Fair or not fair,  what we learn from life’s mishaps often prove the most meaningful.

Moving on or staying stuck, the choice is always ours to make.

Swavel