I Love Being Wrong...About My Kids

Generally speaking, I don't love being wrong. I'm kind of a proud person, so, while I'm willing to learn from my mistakes, I don't relish making them.   I also don't take much pride in being argumentative or debating a point; if someone wants to be right, that's okay by me, unless it is a moral issue that I need to speak up for, or unless I'm dealing with my own kids and I feel compelled to correct them in order to give them guidance.

Having said that,  I love being wrong about people.   I have a sign hanging in my kitchen and another, identical one in my classroom.  It'a quote by Jefffry R. Holland, one of my favorite apostles. It says:

Think the best of each other, especially of those you say you love. Assume the good and doubt the bad. 

I absolutely love this quote! I believed this before Elder Holland said it, but since he said it, I'm even more convinced that it's true.  In fact, I believe that this statement is the essence of charity. If we can truly think the best of others and be merciful and kind toward them, we are living a Christ-like life. 

Having said that, I'm a realistic optimist. I do hope for and look for the best, but occasionally, I feel like I know someone so well that I can predict their actions. And sometimes, my prediction is just dead wrong, and at those times, I often love being wrong. 

Tonight is a perfect example. 

It was Isaac's birthday. (13!)    On the way home from school, Corbin--who loves giving little birthday gifts like candy to everyone in our family--said he wasn't giving Ikey anything, because "all he gave me was a crumpled up piece of paper".  I told him that that wasn't what Jesus would do, but I didn't press him, and he didn't say anything more about it. 

An hour ago, when I was turning off the lights and starting to settle down for the night, I found a five dollar bill on the floor, under Isaac's chair. 

It was Corbin's gift to his big  brother. 

I ate my words. Or, I guess I ate my thoughts. Happily.   I did the same thing earlier tonight as Caleb started working on his CSU application.  Last year, I thought he'd drag his feet with his applications. I thought helping him would be taxing and painful.  I thought he'd want me to do it for him.   Tonight, as he began working on his app because "everything gets super stressful after games start and I want to be done before the Simla game", I realized how often I am wrong about those closest to me. 

And, truthfully, I love it.