Recently, I was thinking about the elements of an honest mistake… a very well intended, yet adversely executed act. I was really digging into the idea of, “To what degree do I atone for culpability, when the intention was well meaning?” It’s a good little lesson for me to revisit from time to time, because I have a habit of halting my own forward momentum if I realize someone else may suffer, because I have to hash through whether their suffering is on me or on them. If I let go of a baseball bat during a swing and break someone’s nose, it’s on me. If the bat broke and did the same, how much do I need to shoulder? How much guilt do I need to anchor myself to? More over, will I permit myself to step up to the plate at the next at-bat? In true universal guidance, I landed on this story this morning…
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In 2015 the Krispy Kreme doughnut chain posted an announcement on its UK Facebook page for upcoming events at a Krispy Kreme in Hull, England. Shortly after the post went up, hundreds of the page’s 200,000 fans commented that it probably wasn’t a good idea to abbreviate the “Krispy Kreme Klub.” Here’s what they posted:
Why not come and join us in our Hull store during the holiday with
the children for our fun activities… Funday Monday, Colouring Tuesday,
KKK Wednesday, and Face Painting Thursday!
Once the company officials realized that “KKK” is the name of an American white supremacy organization, they deleted the post, apologized profusely, and promised to never do it again.
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“Apologized profusely and promised to never do it again.” And thus, their sales continue… I find myself needing to continue sales and not close down over my own mistakes. I think, for myself anyway, that revisiting this concept helps redefine and polish my sense of intrinsic values and moral structure. It keeps the good in me moving forward, even if it’s not perfect. Are my mistakes well intended and can I absolve some guilt through atonement? There’s a term I like that is used in certain recovery groups, “I’ll clean up my side of the street.” I can own my shit, apologize for what I can, and let go of an anchor, even if someone else insists on holding on to it. It’s the ill intended actions I’ve done that consume me more anyway… Those ones are more “KKK” than “Krispy Kreme Klub” to me. Those ones I have a hard time letting go of. In time and with any luck, I can figure out how to fully atone for those as well…
by Rory Andes
Honest mistakes are honest for a reason…
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