Toward a Better World #4: Make More Mistakes

Toward a Better World #4: Make More Mistakes

Toward a Better World #4: Make More Mistakes

Every day, people come to me seeking guidance along the path to perfect spiritual balance, insights into the secrets of the ancient Maya, and step-by-step instruction in various positions from the Kama Sutra (guys, really, just practice, there's only so much I can do for you). In an online forum such as this, however, it seems most appropriate that I simply offer what I know you probably want most of all: my prudent counsel, my million dollar ideas offered free-of-charge, my guidance and wisdom, my notes...toward a better world.

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My favorite explanation for the existence of evil is the notion of the felix culpa, the "fortunate Fall." By such Jesuitical reasoning, it's a good thing that Eve bit the apple and brought death into the world and all our woe; it's good because this seminal mistake gave God a solid rationale for sending his only (to the best of His knowledge) begotten son to save us all from ourselves.

My Italian granny used to make this excellent fudge. When you broke open a piece, thousands of sugar crystals blinked back like bright stars at midnight. It was just the best fudge -- and it was probably an error. Crystallization of sugars in fudge is, as far as I now, a candy maker's faux pas. My Italian cousin and I have tried to duplicate this "mistake" many times, but no luck. It's lost.

Similarly, last September for my oldest daughter's birthday, I tried to make my own BBQ sauce based on a GWiv recipe, and I screwed it up. I added three times the recommended amount of black pepper, freaked out, eliminated all other peppers (three more types were actually required by the recipe), added more brown sugar, a little Tabasco to make up for lost red heat, and ended up making a sauce that my daughter and her boyfriend still talk about. They really like it. They want it again. But I pretty much don't know how to make it because it was all just a big mistake.

My history of mistakes goes back. It seemed like a major mistake to lend my valuable LP of bird calls to that hippie chick in my ornithology class; so I married her. My first daughter was also technically mistake, a mistake I liked so much I tried it twice more.

It's hard (and maybe logically impossible) to plan for mistakes, but I will try to make more in 2005. Maybe really get lost, you know, totally lose my bearings, and just stumble into a place and eat something. Maybe hang under Wacker Drive late at night (a mistake by any estimation), meet some transient types, and see what happens next.

My path is clear: I will make more mistakes and enjoy the consequences (which shouldn't be hard; I always seem to). I suggest you do so as well.

Anyhow, this has simply been my humble effort to nudge you all, unwilling as you may be, resistant as you undoubtedly are, closer to perfect understanding, into the clear light of unimpeachable mental clarity, toward a better world.

Thank you and merry Xmas.

David Hammond

Well said, David. Myself...I thrive on chaos and usually regret making too detailed of a plan. Shit happens and that's the spice of life!

Shit happens?Where were you 6 months ago when I could have used this sage advice?