Sometimes we err because we are ignorant as to how we might not make those mistakes. Our ignorance leads us in wrong directions. We hear stories about errors like this all the time, and we've all likely experienced errors in our own lives that were born out of ignorance.
How do we make peace with errors born out of ignorance in our own lives and the lives of others? Recently a well-meaning elected official made an error in judgement that was based on his ignorance of a situation. I have regarded this leader's work with respect for many years, but clearly he wasn't schooled on the issue where he erred. Later, when educated about the situation, he mostly owned the error and worked for positive change. This was good, and shows one way that we can make peace with past errors due to ignorance--own it and work for positive change.
I suppose that's why I write so much. Before the Internet, I had few sources of good mentoring when it came to leadership and communication skills. Though I had what many would say is a good education, I never really had mentors who took a personal interest in my professional success--the good mentors I had were related to family life more than professional life. Then with the advent of the Internet, I was given countless terrific, accessible, and easy-to-understand resources for professional work. That helped me a lot. I often would search professional and personal issues with specific words and find blog posts and articles written by people who had good advice about those issues--that good advice empowered my life in significant ways.
A couple examples of this inlcude my son's grave situation when he contracted cerebral malaria. I used the Internet to find stories of survival. Within hours I had many, many great resources, which I believe, in part, helped to save my son's life. While his medical team was experienced and exceptional, they did listen to me and took the resources I found seriously. In fact, they followed the protocols of those articles, in part, to save his life. This was amazing and showed the great advantage we have today when it comes to the speed and accuracy of good information share.
In another example, during a tough time in my professional life, I came across articles and individuals who were touting servant leadership as a positive leadership model to use in schools. I read about it and adopted that management style for my work at school, and that dramatically improved what I could do for students, colleagues, and families. It was so positive. Internet share, debate, and conversation truly uplifted my work as an educator in countless positive ways.
I write a lot about errors and positive experiences to bear witness to the positivity possible, and to potentially be there for someone, like me, who will profit from Internet stories and share. With regard to my son's illness, I also reached out to a woman in Kenya, whose daughter, like my son, survived a severe case of cerebral malaria. I asked the woman how she supported her daughter when she returned from the hospital, and the woman gave me tremendous advice which I followed and which helped my son a lot. Before the Internet days, I never would have been able to do that with such needed speed and accuracy.
So, we can find peace with past ignorance by owning our ignorance, educating ourselves to do better, and then helping to educate others about similar areas of error and regret. For example, I often say to my own children, you don't have to make the errors I did if you . . . . . . I hope to help them avoid similar errors in judgement or action. I hope that they can learn from my errors too.
And, you can also make peace with past ignorance by apologizing. I always apologize when I hurt others or make hurtful errors. I find it surprising that some will never apologize for their actions as when someone apologizes to me for their error, it is so much easier to forgive them and to move on. Yet, I recongize that some are too proud or don't have the reflection skills or desire to see and own their part in error--that happens.
We all have to find peace with our past ignorance by making better in ways that we can--we can own our ignorance and error, apologize, make amends and do better as we move ahead, and use our error to help educate others so they don't make the same mistakes. That helps us and helps others too--it's a good way to find peace with the ignorance that misleads us. Onward.