Life as a bus. Think of each experience as a bus ride. We get on the bus, we reach our destination, we get off of the bus. Often we ride the same bus, over and over again (aka THE BIG RUT). Occasionally we risk taking a new bus, on a different route. With each bus ride, we accumulate some learning, to one degree or another. And sooner or later, inevitably we find ourselves on THE MISTAKE BUS. We hate the ride, but even worse, we hate where it takes us.

The Mistake Bus

The thing is, the Mistake Bus wasn’t marked. We didn’t know when we got on it!

Why do we hate it so much? Because the Mistake Bus takes us to TERMINUS SELF-EXAMINATION, a place where our ego feels very uncomfortable. We squirm. We find out we are human and fallible. (Oh no!) And even worse, we have likely hurt ourselves or another person in the process.

Stop looking out the back window

But wait! This is life. Our souls came here to learn. That’s the whole purpose of THE BIG RIDE. (Did you not read the fine print in your contract?) Make a mistake, learn. Make a mistake, learn.

Once we’ve ridden on the Mistake Bus, we resist getting on it again. Our egos will do almost anything to avoid it. Why? Regret. We have a tendency to keep looking out the back of the bus, over and over again, reliving our mistakes in our minds. It’s painful. We just want a nice, safe ride, thank you very much, with as little discomfort as possible.

The Mistake Bus is actually the best ride

Eventually we figure out (or we don’t) that the Mistake Bus is actually THE BEST RIDE. There are many of them actually, a veritable fleet. So many Mistake Buses, so little time. There is a full gastronomic menu of life learning in the Mistake Bus fleet. Think about it… Do you order the same old BLT, over and over again, just to avoid heartburn?

The challenge in life is to have the courage to risk getting on the Mistake Bus again. And again. And again. Yes, it can have its downside. But, it’s a more exhilarating ride. And the really great upside is…? Eventually you find yourself more and more often arriving at TERMINUS WISDOM, exactly where your soul was trying to take you all along.

So next time around, have the courage to take the new bus, the wild ride. Go for the learning and wisdom. Risk taking the Mistake Bus.

Dare to Err | The Mistake Bus © Susan L Hart 2019 | Hart Haiku