Second Chances…

This blog is a little shorter than some I’ve written. There are a couple of reasons for that. Most importantly, my mom is visiting for Easter. Yes, she is my proofer and I’m sure she would be fine with me parking myself in front of my computer. However, that doesn’t suit me. I want to enjoy the time we spend together and limit my time on solitary pursuits. Secondly, this weekend is a time-consuming one for Catholics around the world. It’s a break from work but we spend a lot of time in church.

In fact, Easter weekend is the most important time in the Catholic Church. We celebrate from the Last Supper, the trial and torment of Jesus, His death on the cross through to his resurrection. If you are a believer, His sacrifice is for our eternal life. The ultimate example of a second chance. If you do not believe as I do, you may see Easter as a celebration of spring. Spring is about renewal, the refreshing of the earth as sprouts from plants seemingly asleep for the last four months poke their way through the dirt to greet the sunshine and warmth. This can be a second chance for our gardens as we plan them anew.

Second chances can be big or little. They can be as small as rewriting part of a document after it’s been reviewed and has met criticism. They can be big like recovering after a divorce. We probably don’t even notice the number of times we are given a second chance. Your boss corrects a piece of your work; you trip but are able to get back up and keep going; you make a parenting mistake but you start fresh the next morning. Each of us gets numerous second chances to do something a little differently and be a little better. Going to bed at night and waking the next morning is greeting another new day with fresh possibilities.

Why, if we are given so many of them, are second chances so important? The little second chances mostly go unnoticed by us. It’s the big things that stand out and are judged. “Once a loser, always a loser.” “You can’t trust so-and-so. He always screws up.” “Well, you know, they never get it right.” “He’s addicted to whatever and cannot be trusted.” Once we paint someone with a certain colour, we seem to have a difficult time seeing them in a fresh light. I know I have a tough time with the forgiveness that often precedes the giving of a second chance.

Nowadays, I see memes about stepping away from situations and people who are “toxic” or “bad for us”. We’re creating a world of single entities instead of one where people can lean on each other and grow together. Second chances are required for that world if we want to move forward. A second chance isn’t about ignoring something you’ve done wrong or that has been done to you. It’s about giving yourself or someone else another try. It’s about learning from the mistake or the mess you’ve got yourself in and doing something new. It’s about figuring out what didn’t work and doing something different.

I know someone who is about to get a huge second chance. They got themselves into some financial trouble and in a month will be on the other side of it. They were lucky. They are going to be able to save some money now, something that hasn’t been available for years. It means, though, they have to embrace a whole new way of life. It will feel and look different but the possibility of something fresh and new from this is massive. I truly believe this opportunity, this second chance is going to change their life. This is a chance to see something wonderful and new from the world. The only way it works is if they learn from the mistakes of the past. Don’t sweep them under the carpet. Keep them in mind and do things differently. Not everyone gets an opportunity like this and I hope it’s gratefully received.

I’m a strong believer in failure, as long as I learn something along the way. That in itself is a second chance. Another opportunity to improve, to do it right next time. Second chances are a form of renewal, learning, growing, finding your way. There are times when we should be giving ourselves a second chance. Instead of sliding down the path of misery brought on by self-recrimination, take the time to shake yourself off and go forward with a fresh perspective. And do it as many times as needed. While we’re helping ourselves, we can help others as well and hold out our hands to help them up and grant them a second chance. On this Easter Sunday, in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, perhaps we can offer more people a second chance, be more compassionate of those who are struggling, and give those we meet who stumble a shoulder to lean on. We all deserve a second chance.

I like to focus on outcomes and thought I would share this picture of the middle of a mess. I decided to try out a product that is supposed to rejuvenate old wooden floors. This is what I had to climb over for a couple of days while I did the work!

I’m not sure if my phone camera did it justice. The top picture is before I used the product and the bottom picture is how great it turned out! Even old wooden floors deserve a second chance to shine!