To err is human, right?

Okay, so this is how I felt a lot of last week. I know we're all human and we all make mistakes, but when it does happen it's hard not to feel embarrassed, ashamed, humiliated, and like we just can't do it all.

To make a long story short, ever since I started working at the Red Cross I have been paranoid that I would look at the wrong schedule and not show up for work the day I was scheduled. And that's exactly what happened. Not only did I fail to show up for work, but the staff was already understaffed for the draw, and everyone and their dog decided to come in to donate blood that day. Needless to say, some of the Red Cross staff aren't too happy with me at the moment. After a few very humbling phone calls and lots of blatant honesty on my part (and my willingness to work an extra shift last week) I think things have worked themselves out, but I'll say, being human is not always fun.

I'm trying to remind myself that there's a difference between conscious and unconscious mistakes. While we can learn from both, there really is no benefit from feeling guilty over or demoralized by mistakes we make when we're genuinely trying to do our best. And as much as I hate to admit it, maybe there are things we can learn. Just by nature, I've almost always been a conscientious, on on top of things kind of person. I know there have been times when I've been quick to judge someone else for mistakes they've made, but the more I recognize my own fallibility the more I want to give people the benefit of the doubt. Forgiveness is a pretty amazing thing- the more we realize how much much we need it, and how little we really "deserve" it, the more we want to give the same to others.