Has somebody ever made a mistake that impacted your life and you had to confront them about it? I am sure that the answer to that question is a yes, because nobody is perfect, and we all make mistakes. But I am also sure that at that moment you wished that they had been honest with you from the start, that they had owned up to their mistakes. I have made this mistake many times before, but there is a time I will never forget.

“Alright, guys, it’s break time,” my Pre-K teacher announced to the class. Most of my classmates got started on a puzzle or a coloring sheet, so I began to seek out some of my friends in the busy and rowdy room. They were engrossed in a board game that they dug out from the back of the teacher’s cabinets.

“Can I play?” I asked quietly. They enthusiastically replied with a yes while huddling closer together to make some more room.

“Would you like me to explain the rules of the game?” our teacher suddenly asked from behind us. We all nodded our heads simultaneously while surveying the bright pattern that trailed across the board. And so she did. But the words coming out of her mouth began to fade into a blur as my attention leaped onto something else. My thoughts were intently focused on the board game pieces. As her voice faded away from my head like a gust of wind on a hot and humid day I formed a deliberate plan in my head. I would patiently wait until the game was over and help clean the mess up. And while cleaning I would swiftly and quietly slip the fruit-shaped game board pieces into my pocket. And so I did, I stole the game board pieces.

The rest of the day passed by quickly and easily. I soon forgot about the stunt that I had pulled earlier until my mom’s car pulled into our driveway. I kicked my shoes off while bolting into our neat and tidy living room. I eagerly tore open my small and cluttered backpack and scattered the pieces out across the floor. I then began to play with them in the wide-open area, almost completely unaware of my surroundings. I must have been so zoned out and distracted that by the time I heard the footsteps approaching the room, it was too late.

In a rush, I panicked and shoved the pieces down the nearest fluffy couch cushion. I glanced over at the door, expecting to see my mom, but instead, it was my older sister, Isabel. She had a mischievous and evil look in her eyes that said I’ve got dirt on you now. And apparently, that look was not misleading, because she told my mom everything.

The next day we were driving to school, and Mom was forming my apology for my teacher. As I walked up to her desk with the pieces in my hand, each step seemed to get heavier and heavier. And every second my throat grew tighter and tighter as my stomach twisted right below it. Hands trembling, face burning, I held the pieces out to her and quietly mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

She was surprisingly tolerant and gave me a light lecture on honesty. “Don’t do it again, okay?” she asked.

“Okay,” I replied in a slightly relieved way.

The rest of that day traveled at the speed of a sloth. I felt ashamed and regretful. I couldn’t gather up the courage to go up to her desk and talk to her again. When I decided to take the pieces I did not know what I was doing, and how much trouble I would be in.  But now that I had been confronted and had to apologize, I understood the consequences and problems of theft. All of this could have been avoided if I had been honest with her from the start, and maybe she would have let me take them home for a day or two. If only I had confessed what I had done earlier, maybe I would be less embarrassed. But if that whole dilemma didn’t happen, I would have missed out on a very important lesson, on honesty.

I made sure that nobody was looking when I took those game board pieces because I knew I was doing something bad. But I did it anyway because I was young and I wanted them, and instead of stopping myself and owning up to my mistakes, I waited until somebody told me to do so. And because of that, I was drowning in guilt, but with the guilt came a lesson that stuck with me. Sometimes owning up to your mistakes is better than an apology, and you should be honest about your actions.

 

 

 

 

-Julia B.