5 Things to Do with a Mistake
1. Hold it in the brown and white bowl-mug that was your grandma’s. Mix in steel-cut oats, cinnamon, and flax. Add some dried Michigan cherries, and don’t forget the brown sugar. Hold it with both hands, then, when it’s warmed you up, eat.
2. Walk the dog. It is icy out so be careful. The mistake will come too. Let it wander off the sidewalk and crunch in the snow. It will be grateful for the fresh air and the sunshine and the chance to explore again.
3. Check the mail. A magazine you forgot you subscribed to has arrived. It is colorful and filled with ideas that set your imagination loose. Put the mistake down for a nap, make some tea, and read for a spell.
4. The mistake will wake up, refreshed. “That kind of stung, what we did, huh?” it’ll say, stretching itself out, as mistakes tend to do after a rest. Then it’ll slither a little closer to you and sort of snuggle up and whisper, “But do you want to try again?”
5. Say yes.
Try It
This week think of a mistake you made (doesn’t have to be one you tell about) and consider the ways you can look at it, and, perhaps even take care of it (and yourself). Write a poem for us about the many ways there are to look at mistakes.
Photo by Ken Lund Creative Commons, via Flickr. Post by Callie Feyen.
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I have been a fan of Callie Feyen’s writing for quite some time but I finished this book in almost one sitting. If you have ever been in 8th grade, fallen in love, had a best friend, or loved reading, you will love this book. As the mother of an 8th grader, my other genuine hope is that my son will one day have a teacher as gifted as Callie.
—Celena Roldan
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Bethany R. says
Thanks for offering this creative encouragement, Callie.