MY FAVOURITE MISTAKE
“With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.” | Desiderata
“Loving you was the best mistake I ever made” ― Chelsea M. Cameron
My Favourite Mistake is a phrase often used to describe something that went wrong or didn’t turn out as planned, but ultimately led to a positive outcome or taught a valuable lesson. It's a perspective that sees mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth, rather than purely negative experiences. It's the title of a popular song by Sheryl Crow, which explores the complexities of a relationship that is flawed but cherished despite its imperfections. I am currently reading My Favourite Mistake by best-selling Irish author Marian Keyes. I was intrigued by the title, suggesting something I have not really thought about.
It somehow reminded me of this quote by Polish poet Stanisław Jerzy Lec, “Youth is an act of nature, but age is a work of art”. You should bookmark it and embrace your journey as a work of art rather than just lamenting the years and the ‘amazing’ view in your rearview mirror.
Here is a selections of thoughts, views and quotes – some more relevant to my topic than others, but they are all strands in the tapestry of the living of life.
In Marian Keyes’ My Favourite Mistake we follow Anna, who is in her late forties and has weathered many tragedies. She has an amazing job, an amazing boyfriend and is living an amazing life until lockdown puts all of these in a pressure cooker. So Anna leaves all the amazingness behind and goes back to Ireland to squat with her family until friends who own a country estate ask her to help them with a public relations problem that requires Anna’s unique set of skills. Keyes explores the complexities of human relationships and the transformative power of self-discovery. The book is really well crafted.
"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." – Aysha
“You can’t build a bridge on broken dreams” – Sheryl Crow | It signifies a blocked connection, often inside of ourselves because sometimes the hardest battles are the ones fought within ourselves.
“A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” – John Barrymore
I must confess, I haven’t been able to uncover my favourite mistake, but I have my suspicions. Maybe it is the Irma Stern I bought and then gave back to the art dealer. Or maybe it was the many glasses of 1987 Meerlust Rubicon I have had on more than one occasion with my brother-in-law, Charles.
OK, I’VE GOT IT NOW! My favourite mistake is that I remain excited about the future. I also hope humanity will come to a greater understanding of these profound words from my favourite President:
“For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.” – President John F. Kennedy, 1963.