I’m not Perfect. Neither are you. And that’s ok!

I can recall many times in my life where I have made mistakes.  Those mistakes led to regrets.  They also led me to a better understanding of my own self.

I have come to realize that I am not perfect.  I have known this for a while, but I am reminded of it every time I make a mistake.  A mistake that costs a friendship, a mistake that causes someone to lose trust in me, or a mistake that causes someone to lose faith in me.  Life happens.  We make mistakes and these things happen.  We don’t like it, but it teaches us something.

I am not perfect.  And neither are you.  And that’s ok.  There is no need for apology.  Let me explain.

If I am not perfect, then I have already admitted to, at some point, having done wrong, having made a mistake.  This proves that I am capable of doing this again.  Despite what I have learned from the pain of the last mistake, it does not give me the superpower of perfection – the ability to continue onward in my life, never to make a mistake again.

If I were to apologize for a mistake that I have made, it may placate you into considering to trust me again.  Forgiveness is powerful, and I am not trying to condemn it.  However, because I am imperfect, any apology I make is therefore also imperfect.  I cannot predict the future.  I cannot predict when I may make another mistake.  My apology would be mere words, and words are created by the mouth without end.  Because the cost to produce words is negligible, I have come to the conclusion that words are not valid currency.

This is why the local economy must be based on trust and relationships.  When we each fall, someone will be there to pick us up.  When our brother or neighbor falls, it is our duty to help them.

Just because someone makes a mistake does not mean they are invalidated humans.  We have a system that places a deep and dark stigma on those who have made mistakes to the extent that they have found themselves at odds with the laws of the land.

When a person makes a mistake by committing a crime, they should make their restitution to their victim (if there was one) and be set free.  Free to pursue life, liberty and happiness.  Free to benefit, and to profit from the educational experience of their mistake.  They should not labeled for eternity and branded a criminal!  This destroys their ability to pursue any passions they have that would ultimately benefit the local economy and enrich their lives, and the people’s lives around them.

People are not garbage.  Everyone has hopes, dreams, talents, flaws.  All of these things can be brought into balance by having empathy and sympathy for our fallen friends, and picking them up when they fall.  This is what real love, real community is.