"W" - What Was I Thinking?

We listen to satellite radio all the time, in the car and at home. We like to listen to all kinds of music, but mostly 50's-60's, country, pop, and folk. One of our favorite artists is Christine Lavin. To tell the truth the songs she writes are more comedy than music. One of our favorites that she wrote is called, "What Was I Thinking?" In the song she talks about those moments you embarrassingly wish had never happened. She sings about deciding to get a permanent, and
then looking like Art Garfunkle. "What was she thinking?"

Then she rags on famous people and their disastrous moments. She talks about Dan Rather taking on George Bush. "What was he thinking?" And Prince Andrew wearing a nazi uniform to a costume party. "What WAS he thinking?" Etc, Etc.

I identiy with the song. I think that most of us can. We've all had those moments that we wish we could live over and do right the second time. My friend, Sarah ,talks about when she was a teen dating. She says that she was always so nervous that she broke out in zits on first dates.
One time she carefully covered each zit with Clearasil Coverup. When she got home from the date and looked in the mirror, each Clearasil spot was bright orange! "What was she thinking?"

My regrettable moments usually have to do with something I bought, or items of clothing that I shouldn't have worn. I buy a decorative item that I believe is perfect for a certain spot at home. Then I get home and place the item in that perfect spot. "What was I thinking?"
And will I ever learn that items of clothing, when out in public and being lived in, never look like they do when you are standing straight and tall in front of a mirror. And, horrors, people are always taking pictures of you slumped in a chair, with your mouth full and chewing, or , the worst of all, from the rear! "What was I thinking when I wore that?" Or, more to the point,
"What were they thinking when they took that picture?" A GOOD friend or family member would never take your picture from the rear.

Which reminds me of the Christmas when I bought all my adorable little grandchildren disposable cameras for their Christmas stockings. They were early elementary ages. I thought what fun they would have at the big Christmas party. My very, very ornery grandson took pictures of EVERYONE'S backsides. I don't think his mother ever had them developed, bless her." What was I thinking that Christmas?"

I had one relative (an in-law) who is no longer living. I don't know, it just seemed that I could never say or do the right things around this relative. Once I bought him an electric toothbrush for some occasion. It wasn't until later that I learned he wore dentures. "What was I thinking?"

Thank heavens that most people are forgiving of our lapses in judgement. I think it is more important, though, that we are able to forgive ourselves for the stupid things we sometimes do:
forgive ourselves, laugh at ourselves, and then forget our faux pas.