Monday, February 9, 2009

the essence of an ERASER


Photo Courtesy: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/eraser.gif


I received this test message from a friend.
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Erasers are for people who make errors.
But the wise said:
Erasers are for people who are willing to correct their mistakes.
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So true. There are so many people I've encountered nowadays who refrain from admitting their own mistakes, worse, they even proclaim they are right, despite the fact that they are OBVIOUSLY wrong. Don't get me wrong. I'm not playing judge nor Miss Perfect, I'm just saying what I usually observe. Take this for example.

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Sister: Bro, you're in-charge of washing the dishes.
Brother: (nods absently without saying a word)
Sister: (left the kitchen to do something)
Hours later. . .
Sister: (went back to the kitchen, found the dirty dishes still untouched) Bro! I told you to wash the dishes!
Brother: I'm going to wash it later. You don't have to be mad!
Sister: It was hours ago when I told you. (sighs and started cleaning the mess)
Brother: You chatter so much. I already told you I'm going to wash them. (but he left the kitchen and went to watch TV)
-

See, although this is a simple example, it happens. The brother didn't admit that he forgot to wash the dishes and didn't even budge to wash the dishes. Another case, let's take it a bit deeper.

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Friend 1: Yes, she is so boring. I don't want to be with her too much.
Friend 2: You're right. She is . . . (stops and saw the person they're talking about behind Friend 1's back)
Friend 1: She thinks she is beautiful but she's not. Of course, I'm so not gonna tell her that.
Girl: Really. You think about me like that. (surprises Friend 1)
Friend 1: Of course not, you're not the one we're talking about, right Friend 2?
Friend 2: Yea, right. (smiles weakly)
Girl: I heard you.
Friend 1: You heard wrong. You know what, I'll be leaving now for my class. See you.
-

A case of self-denial leads to hanging bridges between friendships. Friend 1 is already caught saying bad things about the other girl but she never said an apology. That what hurts the girl more, knowing she considers her as a friend.

ERASERS. We use them to "erase" whatever we wrote on a paper that is wrong or needs to be edited. Unlike a "liquid eraser" that just covers up a typographical error, an eraser completely removes it. Yes, there may be remainders of those which have been erased, fragments of your past's mistakes. A clinging reminder that you have committed something wrong, yet, you have been brave to admit it and start all over again.

MISTAKES. Everyone is not perfect, although you see icons of the 'perfect one" on the pages of your all-time favorite magazines. We all do commit mistakes, but it is up to us if we decide to repeat doing the same mistake all over again. Mistakes give us a wake-up call, telling us that we still have to improve ourselves, be better individuals, or if not, be a worthwhile companion. There's a saying that goes, "Once is enough, twice is too much." Doing it once, it is acceptable, as long as you repented for your own mistake. Doing it again, that just proves your incapable of letting go, and you keep on holding back, resulting to repeated streaks of that same mistake.

I,personally have committed mistakes in the past, may it be small, accidental or intentional. And have been repeating some in the course of life I'm taking now. Right now, I'm working on improving myself. Just like what the wise man said, erasers are needed by people like me, who is willing to change, to admit his/her own mistakes.

The essence of an eraser? To erase. The essence of admitting your mistakes? To grow and learn.

1 comment:

yoshke.com said...

pede ka na magsulat ng voice over ng Grey's anatomy. haha. bagay yung intro and last paragraph mo dun. :P