I don't remember my first mistake, but I definitely had a first and will have a last. Whether mistakes result from moral flaws or mere human impulses, they will always occur. Growing up entails paying more attention to mistakes and avoiding making them. Being a good person doesn't mean being perfect, which doesn't exist, but it does require being scrupulous to a certain degree.

What exactly is a mistake? Though mistakes are indescribable concepts, we recognize one from compunction or feeling of having "done wrong." If you're religious, it might mean committing a religious transgression. Religious or not, all people make mistakes and will continue doing so. In fact, mistakes happen every day to various degrees. Mistakes are similar to sins but I won't draw a comparison between both. However, I will say that many "religious" sins are simply moral/ethical mistakes. For example, a man who cheats on his wife will probably realize his mistake whether or not he is religious. Though he might not be a Christian, the man might feel as though he committed adultery.

Each "normal" individual has a moral intuition that helps control behavior. Unfortunately, some people end up crossing a line that may eventually desensitize him or her to morality. Also, some people will commit much more serious mistakes than others. For instance, some convicted criminals will fail to repent and feel remorse. The sad truth is that some people are amoral and immoral, while most of us maintain a sense of right and wrong.

The issue at hand is not so much defining mistakes, but to see how and why they are necessary to the human condition. Quite often, mistakes will bring the good out of a situation. For example, if a person steals money from a good friend, that person might learn (though not always) a lesson from his or her action. In other words, the person might "get something" out of the mistake. When someone avoids making a mistake, it brings forth positive qualities such as diligence and consideration. Human qualities exist in contrast to one another. For instance, a person can only be good if we know what's bad. But evil/wickedness is not really a constant state but an action. Once an individual is contrite, the mistake becomes history.

Personally, I'm not sure why people make mistakes. Is it because it's part of human nature? I think it must be, since I've never known anybody perfect. For the most part, it's not like I plan my mistakes. They're more like unexpected roadkill

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