mistake [m&-'stAk]
to blunder in the choice of; to misunderstand the meaning or intention of
Synonyms include: misapprehension, misjudging, misjudgment

lesson ['le-s&n]
something to be learned or studied; a useful piece of practical wisdom acquired by experience or study
Synonyms include: homework, schoolwork; lecture; drill, exercise, practice (also practice); etude, study

Aquarians got the following horoscope last week:

"Your past mistakes are definitely lessons you should learn from, but try not to let them paralyze you. You can't let yourself be intimidated by what might happen ... you just have to trust yourself that you can do it. Now is not the time for mulling things through, reviewing all the options, or debating pros and cons. No -- it's the day to grab the bull by the horns and show no fear. By putting on an award-winning bravery act, you will fool yourself into believing you're fearless!"

Mistakes - we make them for reasons unbeknownst to us until the damage has been done and the worst of feelings have come to play. We're often told that the only way to learn anything is to make mistakes. "Use this as a lesson," they say. So, we make a mistake, bad things happen, we feel guilty, ashamed and we may even find ourselves bereft of any self-respect. Upon experiencing all levels of agony and we're feeling less than our stellar (that one's for you, Leia) selves, we can't help but ask the universe: What the hell was that all about?!

Sometimes when we set ourselves up to work for something we want, we hope and pray for guidance of every kind. We ask for light to lead the way, a companion to help us along and the strength to follow through. We ask for such things if only to keep from feeling lost and alone, but what often happens is, we get lost anyway. It's sound advice to keep your eyes on the prize, no matter how idealistic it sounds. But sometimes the most important part of attaining any goal is the journey that gets you there. What happens, though, when the road ahead is shaded by a dust cloud of discouragement and the goal is safely guarded by a moat of unexpected hardship? There are times when we reach victory far beyond that cloud and that moat. But there are other times when we find ourselves defeated at the foot of the gate.

It is this seemingly unfortunate moment of loss when we have a chance to encounter that lesson that we may have otherwise not learned had we succeeded according to plan. Only after undergoing such an experience do we find the guidance we sought beforehand. The only questions that remain are: Would we ever try to reach for that goal again knowing what could go wrong? Would we be ready to walk the same road and risk a potentially greater fall and face another failure? Or could we see that risk is worth taking if we could have something wonderful because of it? It's hard to figure sometimes what we want if we're too afraid of not getting it if we tried. But a wise friend advised simply, "You learn and try not to repeat the same mistakes, but you have to let yourself TRY."

Move Along
by: All-American Rejects

Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone stands
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
Move along

So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold

Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong we move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong, we move along
Along, along, along
When all you got to keep is strong

Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Right back what is wrong
We move along