On Multiplying Mistakes

We have all had the experience of trying to find a place we haven’t been before, and somehow

sensing that we had turned off the right road. But despite the warning sense within us, we may doggedly

have pursued the wrong road until we arrived at a dead end, or until we had gone so far that we had

lost much time and had much distance to return. There are many ways in which men find themselves on

wrong roads, and seemingly there are many reasons why they don’t turn sooner back to the right one:

sometimes because of stubbornness, of pride or perverseness; sometimes because of the fallacy of

supposing that if a person has taken one wrong step he had just as well take two; that if he has slipped

somewhat he had just as well slip farther; that if he has made one mistake, it doesn’t matter too much if

he makes more. These are all flagrant fallacies that cause carelessness to lead to more carelessness,

misconduct to more misconduct, to the ultimate hardening of habits, and to heartbreak and

unhappiness. It was said of the prodigal son that he “came to himself.” But it was only after he had gone

a long way in the wrong direction and after he had lost his inheritance and his self-respect. If those who

have erred would come to themselves sooner, they wouldn’t have so far to return. There is no reason

why a man who has made a mistake should multiply his mistakes. The sooner a wrong course is

corrected, the less time is lost, and the less penalty imposed, and the sooner is found the peace that

comes with the awareness of being on the right road. Let no foolish pride, no stubborn perverseness

cause delay in correcting a wrong course. Let false pride be pushed aside; let men come to themselves

sooner, let the principle of repentance enter the picture, wherever they are – for the awareness of

moving in the right direction, after having moved in a wrong one, is a wonderful awareness.