the world is filled with excuses

One of my pet peeves, well one of many, is excuses. I am not a perfect person by any means nor do I claim to be, and I have probably been just as guilty as the next person for making excuses for not wanting to do something, but there are certain times and situations where I could really do without the excuses and would prefer the truth.

Students throw excuses at me all the time, most of them are just that - excuses. Very seldom is there a time when what they tell me is actually the truth. Don't get me wrong, not all my students lie and try to get around the truth, but for the most part if homework is not done there is an excuse, if they are late to class there is an excuse, if they fail a quiz there is an excuse. I expect this. It's the nature of the job. Working with teenagers, one comes to learn about excuses and all the different ones kids have.

But where we do not expect excuses to come from is someone we care about whom we think care about us. It's in relationships, especially the beginning stages of relationships, where excuses should be avoided. If we are not interested, if we are too busy, if we are afraid of getting hurt, if we are not ready, say it. Instead of pointing out the flaws, which we all know we have, focus on the excuses that are being thrown around. Focus that energy in making the excuses somewhere else. It takes courage to speak the truth. But as adults, even more, as humans, we are expected to speak the truth and be honest with each other. Honesty is not an easy pill to swallow nor an easy pill to administer, but in the end, it is what everyone wants and deserves.

We all have days where nothing seems to go right. We all have days when we think things cannot get much worse. I have had plenty of those days. But instead of focusing on all the negative, which is so much easier to do, what about the good things we have? What about the amazing child that lights up the room every time he or she walks through the door? What about the roof that is over our heads? What about the amazing people in our lives whom we call our friends? Why not focus on the positive things that God has given us instead of focusing on all the negativity this world embodies?

I am thankful for the life that God has given me. Even though I don't always say thank you and give back as much as I should, I am still grateful. I admit that I am guilty of making excuses; I admit that I have my flaws; I admit that I still carry around thoughts and feelings from the past, but all those things I am working on. My life is a work in progress. No one is perfect. It's hard to see the imperfections in some people, but I am sure they exist. I thank God for each day that I am here and for each day that I am given with my daughter.

I think I have digressed from the intention of this, but sometimes those things happen. Just as in life, the plan we have for ourselves does not always end up where we planned.