A New Path

I believe that cheaters never win. I believe that the road to perfection is paved in pain and mistakes. I believe that the short path, while easy, is the quickest way to defeat. And I believe that by cheating you only cheat yourself.

                This story begins with a seven year old kid, a boy, sitting in his seat with his head down and salt flavored tears resting on his cheeks. Any words he attempted to speak choked him until he gave up and resigned to quiet shame. Buried in the crook of his arm he hid burning red eyes and cheeks that could only be caused by failed attempts to hold back tears. Though he wished to act by doing anything to distract himself from the turmoil boiling up inside, the boy was trapped in his seat, stilled with disappointment and disgust. Back and forth he contemplated  what could have been, and what the next few hours will bring. Around him the students silently pitied him not understanding his plight and not sure whether the wanted to bring his burden unto themselves.

                Ten years ago the boy in that seat was me. For the first time in my young life I had been caught cheating. Even as a young, innocent child I understood that what I had attempted, and failed to do, was wrong in every way. I was in second grade and was on my way to becoming the perfect student. With nineteen out of twenty spelling tests completed with a perfect score, only one more stood in my way. The spelling was simple enough, but the series of words included the three versions of ‘there’: There, their, and they’re. The spelling was simple enough, but the different variations and their different uses confused my seven year old mindset. Unwilling to let my perfect score slip I decided to do the only thing I could come up with.

                So, the test came and went, and like I said I was caught. The specifics of me being caught aren’t important, the fact remains that I was, in the end, caught. Being caught devastated me at the time, and I tried to forget it to the best of my abilities. However, my own conscience would not and will not let me forget it, even to this day.

                At various points in my life I have looked back on that experience for advice. I strive for perfection, and failing, I consider not to be an option. But, no matter how great perfection seems to be in the eyes of others, I have learned that nothing is worse than failing myself. By cheating you are doing nothing except leaning on a crutch. By cheating I gained nothing except for a disappointment in my own eyes. And although the teacher still decided to let me retake it and continue my perfect score, in reality I was the furthest thing away from perfection.  Today I have learned that perfection only comes with mistakes, and mistakes, no matter how bad, are repairable.

                I believe that cheating is a path of failure. I believe that the only way to earn respect in yourself is to achieve perfection in your own eyes. I believe that mistakes are just a stepping stone for perfection. And I believe that no matter the mistake there is always a chance for redemption.