I have always been hard on myself when I make mistakes. I know everyone makes mistakes and nobody is perfect but it still bothers me when I make them. When I make mistakes I often wish I had a time machine to go back and change things but I can't. But as I continued on in years it more appeared to me that how we handle our mistakes is more important than not making them. Mistakes I think build character and help us learn things. This lesson was hit home for me when I watched a documentary on a lioness.
The lioness in the documentary was pregnant. Lionesses leave the pride to give birth alone by themselves. They pick a safe nesting spot to give birth. This lioness picked a bad spot to give birth it was on top of a snake den. After her cubs were born the snake bit her cubs and her. This snake was highly poisonous and the venom killed her cubs and blinded the lionesses. The lioness was weak, blind and couldn't drink or eat. The lionesses messed up big she had lost her cubs which was a devastating loss and now her own life was in danger. You couldn't blame her for throwing in the towel. How she reacted astonished me and has always stuck with me. She sniffed her cubs and realized they were dead since she couldn't see. She was visibly upset and mourned their deaths but pushed on for her own survival. Her cubs paid the ultimate price but there was nothing she could do to bring them back all she could do was try to survive. She kept moving to prevent the venom from overtaking her. She was attacked by a group of hyenas. Hyenas and lions have a bitter feud where they will often attack and try to kill each other. This group of hyenas certainly could have taken the lioness in her current state and did attack but she fought back. She showed them that even though she was weakened and had messed up she was going to keep on fighting and she wasn't going to give up. She demonstrated her will to live and push on. The hyenas eventually left her alone since she had proven her strength of character. Eventually she recuperated after a week and regained her sight and could eat and drink again. She then went back to her pride to rejoin them and continue being a part of her family.
This lionesses made a big mistake in life but she just pushed through and did the best she could. She couldn't really correct her mistake just survive it's consequences and then learn for next time. I am sure next time she will be more careful picking a nest site to have her cubs. She faced the adversity and now knows more about what she can survive. She is smarter and stronger for it I am sure. I try to remember her when I make mistakes. If it is a big mistake I tell myself ok you got bit now fight through it and deal with it. If I can correct the mistake or improve the situation I try to and whatever is left I just try to survive and make the best of it. I try to take a moment to assess what I can learn and how to do better next time. What are some challenges you have faced and had to overcome or mistakes that you made? I would love to hear them and share.
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