Owning Up!

A young boy was scolded by his teacher for talking during the lecture. He resorted to an outrageous reply -"But Miss I was not talking; I was just looking!! He was talking to me!"

The boy knew he was wrong but was not courageous enough to own up and apologize. Instead, he found it easier to defend himself before his classmates and shrug off the guilt by pointing a finger to someone else. Such petty incidents augment into an immutable mindset of blaming others for the mistakes committed by a person and not owning up to the responsibility of his own actions.

"Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them"- Bruce Lee

It is said that 'to err is human'. However big or small, errors are bound to be committed. There is no learning without failure. It is only the spice of chilly which you accidentally bite that makes water seem like the elixir of life! But what is more important is admitting that you did bite the chilly, inadvertently.

Owning up to your shortcomings well in time evades a small issue from turning into a complex one, whose consequences might then be grueling. It is the fear of 'what will happen', 'what will they think about me', 'what about my reputation' that holds you back from evolving into a stronger, accountable and responsible self.

As you continue to play the blame-game, serve excuses for your shortcomings and justify yourself, the mind starts believing in those vindications. Imagine if our cricketers had justified dropped catches by mentioning the untied shoelaces or the glaring sun or the fast ball! If they were convinced that these conditions were truly at fault, they would never improve!

Owning up to your faults is nothing but an exposition of your modesty. If you fail and admit it, you might get another chance; but if you conceal it, you are a lier. You then lose the respect and faith that others had in you.

We see how far the blame-game of governing bodies has taken our country. All of them talk about the fallen bridge, but none take responsibility and try to mend it.

Hilariously enough, I recall Chatur from 3 Idiots. The 'Silencer' who would disturb the atmosphere on the sly and then say- "I didn't do it; Raju?!" A classic example of not owning up to actions that were clearly his!

To wrap up, refusing to own your mistakes doesn't make you seem more competent; it reveals cowardice, callousness, and untrustworthiness.

It is alright to get punished for talking in the class; how long will you fool yourself saying "I didn't do it"?