There is a saying we use in the English language to rationalize the mistakes we make in our lives. We state that we are merely “just human.” This saying identifies the flawed nature that the human race is incapable of reaching perfection. As humans and individuals, we are products of our environment; we are influenced by our families, friends, media, social outlets, and the advancement of technology. How we approach situations, how we solve them, and how interpret them is all influenced by our current culture. Kids in this generation are influenced by technology, specifically, the Internet, cell phones, computers, iPods, and iPads. Getting a hold of someone is easily accessible within a matter of seconds. Being “social,” for these kids consist of chatting on Facebook, gChat, or sending text messages. I am not too far removed from this generation as I was born into the end of pagers, cassette tapes, and landlines. I remember the beginning of the Internet, with the dial tones, and AOL’s signature sign-on sounds. Netscape and AOL were two of the larger Internet service providers. Accessing the Internet was the evening’s events, it would take 10 minutes to connect and when using the internet, you had to coordinate with your parents and friends not to use the phone line or else it’d take another 10 minutes at the very least to connect again. Now, if the Internet is slower than 30 seconds, we all throw a fit for it being so slow.
In the end, what I’m trying to say is that, the time, the era, and the technologies we have; influence our knowledge, character, and personality. The information that is readily available to us at the tips of our fingers, provides a false confidence that we think we have. However, nothing beats experiencing things first hand, including the good and the bad. No matter what people tell you, what you read, what you hear, or what people teach you, you learn the most from experiencing such events for yourselves.
I have made many mistakes up to this point in my life. As I reflect on my memories of the past, I regret saying the wrong things or being silent when I knew I should have spoken up. There is no use in reflecting on the past unless you use those experiences to understand your mistakes and move forward with the knowledge not to make the same one(s) again. I am “just human,” indelibly flawed, and full of mistakes. I strive to be admirable, to be accountable, honest, loyal, and trustworthy. I have failed at times and have excelled in others. More recently, I have failed to be the things I strive to be. I lacked the courage to speak my thoughts and feelings to my peers and ultimately paid the price I did not want to. I owned up to the mistake and understand that respect and honesty are best served among friends than to hide and cowardly publish your opinions elsewhere. I regret making the mistake of letting my emotions influence my judgment, being irrational and destroying friendships I know better to cherish than throw away.
My mistakes are my own, I am not perfect, nor am I even close. I must take these mistakes to better myself, to continually strive to be who I want to be. Although at times I may say I am “just human,” I now know better than to let emotions make my judgments. Nothing is sacred among close friends; nothing needs to be withheld as long as there is respect and honesty. I apologize to them.
I am now on a path to move forward. By my own doing, I must place a pause in school, putting a bookmark in that chapter, and write a new one that begins in China.
