Mistakes

What is the point, really, of "learning from your own mistakes"?  Who does that help?  The argument that it helps an individual grow as a person is pure bullshit.  All I do as a result is kick myself for being such a dumbass.  And I would bet everyone else does too.  Little mistakes, sure.  Matching tattoo with a boyfriend--yeah, even though I'm married now with two beautiful children, never gonna do that again.  But the big ones, like taking up smoking for example.  That decision is always a mistake; nothing good is ever going to come out of that (unless, of course, you're in prison and need to trade smokes for things like rock hammers or posters of Rita Hayworth).  So why are we all obsessed with making our own mistakes so that we may learn?  Why do we shrug off the advice of those who have erred before us? 

Basically, I think I'm tired of realizing after the face that I should have paid better attention to getting good grades in college.  I should have had a career path; the idea that "being a mom" is an acceptable response to "what do you want to be when you grow up?" is asinine.  I should have thought about the struggle of repaying debts I incurred.  I should have thought about the promises people make when they are just saying what you want to hear.

And then there are always faces like this to lift a person up when they are feeling a bit blue.