Eating Crow

Suffice to say that since my last post on One Eternal Presence, as well as my proclaiming to everyone I encountered that day that "spring has arrived," I have eaten my share of crow.  Now I know how meteorologist feel.

All of this also has me wondering about mistakes and "got it wrongs" in our lives.   The question is not have we ever made mistakes or gotten it wrong, but rather, when we did how did we respond?

One response is to never admit mistakes and instead insist we are right, or at least partially right, even though evidence and our own hearts and minds tell us otherwise.  This response usually leads to conflict within ourselves as well as with others.  It also leaves little if any room for reconciliation, and for learning from our mistakes.

Another response is to have a serving of "crow", or "humble pie", or "our hat", or whatever idiom we choose.  By admitting mistakes and taking responsibility for getting it wrong, we are less likely to encounter conflict.  And, if there is conflict, admitting wrongs opens the door for forgiveness and reconciliation.  What's more, admitting we are wrong creates the freedom and opportunity to get it right the next time.

It is a well know dynamic in the lives of inventors, entrepreneurs, scientists, educators, and artists that the road to any success is littered with failure.  And the same is true of our spiritual lives and personal relationships.

In religious circles we call all of this "sin", "grace", "forgiveness",  and "salvation."

Call it what we will, "eating crow" is good for the soul.