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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN

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I Should Have Brought My Bib

Sitting inside Vic's Drive Inn at 8:30 a.m., I watched helplessly as a friend bit into her breakfast sandwich and yellow egg yolk dripped prodigiously onto her clean, purple blouse. Not knowing whether to laugh, gasp, or risk getting slapped by offering to wipe the sticky goo off her chest, I was speechless. My facial expression undoubtedly told the full story.

Calmly, and with great dignity, my friend took a paper napkin and wiped her blouse. Knowing she didn't have time to get home and change before going to work, she simply said, "I knew I should have brought my bib." Then, with the tension of the moment broken, she added, "It was my fault because I asked for the egg to be cooked with a soft yolk."

What struck me about the incident, besides the obvious humor, was that my friend was so quick to take responsibility. She could have yelled at the cook and demanded restitution from the owners. However, she would still be wearing a soiled blouse to work. Instead she accepted that she should have been more careful eating the sandwich which was prepared exactly as she requested. On top of that, she was able to make light of the situation with her bib comment, and then clean herself up as best she could.

We all make mistakes in our judgments and actions. When we do, we have the choice of accepting responsibility for those mistakes or blaming others. In a society where mistakes are equated with failure, it is tempting to blame others and give up. However when we take responsibility for our mistakes, they become learning experiences that allow us to make better choices in the future.

Now, when ordering breakfast sandwiches, my friend and I will both think twice about how we want the eggs prepared, depending on whether or not we brought our bibs.

  • Have you blamed others for your mistakes?

  • Does blaming others make a situation better?

  • Can you learn from mistakes without beating yourself up?

  • What are some mistakes for which you need to accept responsibility?

© 2003 David Bentley

David Bentley, M.Ed. & Personal Coach, coaches clients through the game of life, helping them find balance, clarity of direction, and purpose in an ever-changing world.

You may contact him at 360.378.8436

by e-mail at david@coachbentley.com

or visit his Web site: www.coachbentley.com

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