“These meatballs are weird!”
That was Julie’s eight-year old son’s horrified assessment of her new recipe.
While they looked like meatballs with a typical marinara sauce, when you bit into them, the flavor of cumin, chili powder, and chipotle peppers was what you tasted. “I thought I would try something different. I guess I won’t use that recipe again,” replied his mom.
Most of us have tried something that sounded like a good idea at the time and it didn't turn out the way we expected.
You took the weekend trip with old friends from high school only to find out how little you had in common.
Or perhaps you volunteered to be on the nominating committee and found that no one wanted to hold an office.
Occasionally you may have a "crash and burn " experience. Amy planted her Florida garden with flowers she remembered from her home in Maine. They all died in the heat.
Most of the time, we regret the waste that was involved. Sometimes it is a waste of money—like that recipe that called for lobster meat. Or time—like spending hours knitting a sweater that then did not fit.
Sometimes things result in disappointment, like finding out how far apart you have grown from old friends.
But while things certainly did not turn out how we had hoped or planned, was it really totally wasted?
Hopefully, we learned something.
Maybe we learned to read instructions more carefully or not to say yes too quickly.
Sometimes, we get a laugh out of the situation. Julie would remember for years the funny face her son made as he complained about the meatballs.
All experiences have something to teach us. My mother always told me that the only thing worse than losing is not trying at all. I think she was right.
