MISTAKES

Greetings each

I was having a conversation with my Sensei and good friend Keith a few days before Christmas. We were talking about several things, mostly about the good thing we have both found since joining TOTJO.One of the subjects was, Mistakes.
This got what little grey matter I have upstairs clicking into overload

Some literary soul who's name escapes me wrote. To err is to be human.We make all make mistakes,It is a fact of life. The scale of mistakes can be that of a simple wrong turn on a road , to devastation of pilot error in an aircraft causing multiple loss of life.

Now, I would like ,as this point explain these are just my own views,I would love others to share theirs to.

It seems to me a mistake is just that. The end result is just the balance of things. Ki doesn't discriminate against anything or anyone these things just happen.

In the so called minor case of making a wrong turn ,most would shrug shoulders and forget about it. some mild ridicule of jest,in good nature from friends may also occur.

Then, the so called serious cases where an individual is hurt, say in in an accident.BLAME is attached someone must pay.a legal battle for compensation begins. Something that I wholeheartedly loathe.However I will state this, there is a difference of a genuine mistake and those who express a couldn't give a dam attitude.

In some of my books on Bushido and alike. It has been written that if person makes a mistake which may affect others an apology should be made in an instant and meant . This in turn should be accepted in an instant and the matter forgotten. So sad in modern times this does not happen very often.

Another story from 'Hagakure'.The Lord Nebashima was in need of a good retainer, a certain young Samurai was mentioned. Lord Nebashima had said ,why this man? he always makes mistakes. Yes Lord ,but he only makes them once was the reply. he was promoted.

I to make mistakes, more so than many I might add , I am not ashamed to admit it.I will always apologize if I have offend another. If the apology is not accepted,that is not my problem.Is it really that difficult...to say Sorry.
Is it also that difficult to accept it. I think not, Yet the evidence I see and have would contradict this , very sad.

What also bothers me is ,who has the right to determine the severity of a mistake.It is after all just an error of judgment which we all do from time to time. Yes it is unfortunate that lives are lost or severe injury is coursed due to a mistake.

I shall leave this now and look forward to any comments made, These are just my views and how I feel about such things as an individual.

The Force guide you all

Yours in the spirit of Budo

Mike

My two cents on this are on par with what JFK expressed, \"An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.\" The error affects all parties, but it is dependent upon all parties to be willing to correct it, whether it be a by simple statement and expression of being sorry or providing any sort of material compensation for what may have been lost or damaged, to not let the error to become a mistake that all parties then are negatively affected by. The errors in judgement affect the entire situation, from determining the severity of the error to determining if the proposed or expressed attempt to correct the error is acceptable by a party. For some, as you mentioned, it is easy to shrug off errors and simply correct them without any hassle. For mild and severe errors alike, the lack or abundance of appropiate judgement for some is simply rooted in their perspective and outlook on life. I have friends who simply enter blind rage upon any severity of error, and simply do not make any attempt to make a rational correction. These friends are typically very posessive, emotional, impatient, ignorant, arrogant and more than not, tend to lean towards a lifestyle of avarice. On the otherhand, I have friends who simply recognize the error and without mental, emotional or physical tensity, go on to attempt to make a rational correction and accept what has happened. These of course are the extreme ends of the spectrum, and for very serious severe errors that affect an individual on a personal level, the reaction is completely up in the air for every single one of us.

I have a desk toon which reads...

'To err is to be human - to really f*** things up requires a computer'

MTFBWY - A/SYW

Greetings each

Thanks for those replies ,least I'm not alone with my thaughts lol

Yours in Budo

Mike

Mistakes are one of the greatest ways in which we learn. OK so we're told never to touch a burning hot pain but we don't really learn that lesson until we do it and spend some time with the resulting blisters! Realising a lesson is the first step, accepting that lesson is the next, then we can begin to learn from it. As with anything, if our actions cause harm to others, we must accept that responsibility and act accordingly. If everyone was to act in the ways outlined in your Bushido texts (heartfelt apology that is accepted but not dwelt upon), the world would get along a lot easier!!

MTFBWY

I personally am a firm believer that there are no mistakes or failures. There are just different paths, other options.

I tend to believe as Master Jon stated. There are no mistakes only different paths. The only true error or mistake I can think of is not learning from what you would call a mistake or error in judgement.

Things happen for a reason and if we make a mistake or failure we are to learn something form it. Not learning from it is the only true failure or mistake.

If you touch the hot pot and say ouch that is hot, but continue to touch the pot, we still learn something, even if it is the observer watching the individual touching the pot. Sometimes pulling back from a situation you can realize that the error or mistake made was not a lesson for you, but a lesson for someone else involved or observing the situation.

Just some rambling from me with a different perspective to look at \"mistakes\" from.

One of my relatives allows their kids (12 n 11) to use power tools etc - now some say 'thats irresponsible and dangerous' but think about it - they learn early on how these things work and how each works best for different tasks and they learn respect of the machinery too.

It also teaches them that fear is often more dangerous than the perceived danger itself - least when they grow up theyll know how to use the tools properly and NOT run the gauntlet of the 1st time user being over confident.