By Isai Efuru
The things in life that we regret are often the very things that made us who we are. Our mistakes, missteps, hiccups and wilderness moments were all designed to lead us down the yellow brick road of maturity. When you find yourself remembering a dark part of your journey, turn the light on it, examine it thoroughly, and find the jewel within the experience that helped you get through. That’s the beauty of remembrance; you recall it to remind yourself of the lesson you learned and the greatness that you are made of. You can then forget the shame of it and live anew.
In my years as a college socialite, I attended parties more regularly than classes. I was determined to have a good time at any cost, and floated my way through the courses with a minimal effort. I graduated on time, but without the honors and accolades that I had become accustomed to in my former years. I pushed myself to make it happen for my mother, but I knew I had fallen short.
I failed to stick to my life plan for becoming an educator, and without an internship, work history or recommendations, I spent the next ten years catching up to my dream. More missteps and mishaps occurred, taking my spirit low with each one because I kept getting stuck on the mistake and not the lessons. Yet, I never lost faith in God, even as I lost faith in myself. I asked God to help me turn my perspective around.
The Lesson Learned was originally published on praisecharlotte.com
