By PETER DAVIS
Staff Writer
I’ve been told a million times over to appreciate the little things.
More than that, I’ve been told to accept people’s flaws.
The more life I live, the more I think we should ap- preciate peo- ple’s flaws, especially our own.Merit and value are easy to attribute solely to our good features, but it is in our mis- takes that we may truly find hope.
The things we do satisfac- torily pass from our minds as faits accomplish; they serve only as reminders of how well we did in the past.
When we fail, we are forced to focus on improving our- selves, to strive to do greater things in the present for the betterment of the future.
We should view our flaws as holes in the patchwork of our personality, presenting oppor- tunities to stitch ourselves to- gether more wholly and beau- tifully.
By the same token, the flaws of others reveal their insecuri-ties, and their mistakes – if ob- served thoroughly – show their aims as clear as day.
Just as one must realize the drive that failures create with- in one’s own mind, the same should be recognized in others to fully understand their wants and actions.
With examination, contem- plation, and self-reflection on the rougher parts of our fel- lows we may gain a more thor- ough understanding of those flaws, our own, and indeed why we consider these things in need of improvement.
The last is very much a nec- essary understanding: knowl- edge of a flaw is only worth so much, but comprehendingthe why, rather than simply the what, fa- cilitates a greater un- derstand- ing ofwhat matters most. Evaluating these shortcom-
ings in others is, of course, easier than reconciling them within ourselves, but a true accounting of one’s one strengths and weaknesses in relation to others’ is absolutely requisite for personal growth and prosperity.
Self-awareness protects one from over- or underestimation of oneself and subsequently from ill-conceived commit- ment of one’s resources.
As Sun Tzu said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”