When we make smart choices we feel smart, we feel good about ourselves. When we make stupid choices we feel stupid, we feel bad about ourselves. This is a normal part of being human, it's how we learn.
Sometimes the pain of admitting how stupid we have been keeps us from learning. We choose instead to tell ourselves that what we did was smart.
When we do this about things that aren't important it has little effect on us. When we do this only temporarily it has little effect on us. It's just part of learning.
When we choose not to admit that we've been stupid about big things over long periods of time it does affect us and it affects our lives.
When we choose to tell ourselves that the stupid things we won't admit are actually smart things that we should pride ourselves on, we are on a path to self-destruction.
When we compound insisting we're right while knowing we're wrong with blaming others for the ways this makes us feel, we are on a path to destroying others.
When we harm others rather than admit our mistakes our ability to untangle the mess we've created can be daunting.
The words to the hymn Amazing Grace were written by a man who admitted it was a mistake to engage in the slave trade and became an abolitionist. Many of us long for this redemption. All we have to do is to admit we made a mistake. All we have to do is to admit we are human.
If all of this is just about admitting we are human than why don't we?
When we admit we are human, we admit we are vulnerable. When we admit we are vulnerable, we have to deal with the fear of being hurt.
How do we deal with the fear of being hurt?
We can pretend not to fear it. Or, we can acknowledge that being frightened and feeling fear is part of being human, and unavoidable.
Once we admit we are frightened what can we do?
We can do lots of things that aren't effective. Or, we can choose to feel the fear and take comfort in our common experience.
When we do this we feel compassion both for ourselves and for others. We feel love.
The combination of knowing we are human and feeling love gives us the courage to face our deepest fears.
We ask the tough questions, we seek solutions not slogans to address our problems.
We seek unity, honesty and fairness. We are inspired to the same goals that inspired the Founding Fathers.