Lessons Learned...Stupid Things We Do..

We can make into a lesson....

Such as:

Several years ago I loved to run. I don't anymore because my knees are shredded from all of it. I lived down in steamy Mobile, AL where the humidity is 90% plus the majority of the time. I would go to the Y to run on a treadmill to avoid it.

One of my favorite things to do was to get on and watch people. I had a great spot near the back and it was in the corner of the room and facing mirrors that were on the wall. I could see the whole room without seeming to be actually staring at folks.

It was great fun.. I could see the serious folks and watch their faces as they grimaced and grunted their way through their workouts. I could see the ones who wished to be somewhere else as they sat placidly staring into space while forgetting to actually work out. I could see the ones who came to flirt and play. Truly fascinating stuff.

I usually did not have a problem keeping my steady pace while I watched. But there was one day that changed. I was into my normal routine. It was 5:30pm...about the time when all the yuppies and dinks were piling in after work to exercise. It promised to be a great day of people watching. But something went wrong. About 15 minutes into my run, my foot hit the side and I stumbled.

I stumbled forward onto my knees. The treadmill was still going. That being the case, I fell forward onto my face and to the side a bit so that I got rolled over onto my back and off the back of the treadmill. I must have screamed or made some kind of noise. I don't think I have seen so many faces staring down at me asking if I was okay as I did that day. I was horrified. I jumped up and murmured that I was okay and quickly left the building as fast as I could. I never returned.

The lesson I learned: You really should always pay attention to what you are doing. Focus on the task at hand.

....and if you are going to stare at folks while on the treadmill make sure you use the emergency stop key so the damn thing will cut off when it gets pulled.



So - what lessons have you learned from something stupid you have done?