You Don’t Always Have to Start Over

A conversation:

Me: Oh, I have to show you the nightgown I made for your Daughter for Christmas.

BF: Uh, didn’t you say you were making bloomers?

Me: Yeah, I know, but I didn’t have enough fabric so I thought this would do…(holding up finished garment) it’s cute eh?

BF: It’s gorgeous. It’s just that…I don’t know how to say this…she knew when you asked what her favourite colour was that you were making her something for Christmas and she just hoped it wasn’t a nightgown, she finds them uncomfortable to sleep in. When she said it to me I told her not to worry about it, she wasn’t getting a nightgown. I feel terrible.

Me: It’s not your fault…I did say I was making bloomers. What about a housecoat then?

BF: Oh, I couldn’t let you do that…after all this work…to start all over.

Me: What start over? I just take a pair of scissors, cut this down the middle in front and hem the edges. Voila, housecoat.

BF: Yeah, okay…I can see that now. Wow, that’d be great, I’m sure she’ll love it.

There, problem solved.

My mistake here was saying that I was going to do something before being sure that I could. The possible consequences were either more money and time spent “starting over” or a disappointed child at Christmas.

My solution, avoid both those by being creative and working with what I have.

I guess it still surprises me how willing people are to just scrap their mistakes and start over. We can learn so much from examining them, considering them and making an attempt to fix them.