Go ahead
I’ve always been close with my grandfather. He came to the US over 30 years ago from India, helping raise me all throughout my life. Through moving to New Hampshire for a few years and going to college in Baltimore, he was always a constant in my life, no matter the distance between us. We weren’t close in a traditional sense; we didn’t have deep, significant talks, but he was always there for me. He would always greet me by flashing a large grin, patting me on the back, and letting out a great laugh, immediately putting me to ease.
He would ask me questions about how my studies were progressing, what my interests were, and any future plans I had. While my answers always changed, whether it be going into medicine, finance, or most recently software (finally found my passion), his response never changed. He would echo the same words every time, “Go ahead.”
Recently, my grandfather told me stories from his youth. These stories revolved around some mischief or mistake he made, and they ended with those same two words. I never thought much of his response, waving it off as a phrase lost in translation, but they’ve meant more and more to me as time has progressed.
My grandfather, like anyone, wasn’t a perfect man. Yet when he made mistakes, he moved past them quickly. He would understand what he did wrong, how to fix it, and then continue forward. He didn’t trivialize large mistakes, but he certainly didn’t dwell on them. My grandfather mentioned to me recently, “Why focus on the past when there is nothing you can do about it? Go ahead with your life.” He realized that there were things he could learn from his mistakes, but that you needed to move forward to gain that knowledge, not remain focused on the past. Personally, I have a habit of getting down on myself for the mistakes I make. I’ve made a conscious effort to take my grandfather’s words to heart. This introspection allows me to get to know myself better and better understand my weaknesses; by not being mired in the past, it allows me to grow into a better person.
A lot of life is shaped by the mistakes we make. Letting them fester isn’t productive; it can lead to more mistakes and won’t help them eradicate their occurrence in the future. I’m not saying that you should ignore the mistakes that you make, but don’t let them consume you. Don’t get down on yourself for every little blunder. Life is a marathon. When you make a mistake, figure out what went wrong and in the words of my grandfather, “Go ahead.”
