"Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." George Washington Carver / Do you often make excuses for why you can't do things? What's the worst excuse you've ever made? Do you think excuses are ever justified, or do you think people should just accept responsibility when things go wrong? What's your biggest failure in life? Do you fear failure, or do you embrace it?
What a heavy load of questions… {/ jinki chuckles quietly, tucking his hands between his thighs as he gives himself a moment to ponder over his answer} I think… ‘Excuses’ is mostly seen as a negative word, right? Like when a child tells her teacher she cannot write because she hurt her thumb, or if a man says no to working because he simply doesn’t feel like it. A better way of putting things is saying ‘reasons’. For example, I may be late for a schedule because my grandmother was ill and I had to treat her. That isn’t something I should be punished for, as it’s a highly justifiable reason. Going to a higher extent, there are many things we cannot control and accept responsibility for, such as car crashes blocking the road or someone robbing our house. There are reasons for everything in life, and whether or not that’s the fault of someone or not depends on the circumstance. {/ jinki nods once, twice, then heaves a sigh}
As for my biggest failure… {/ he pauses, in thought once more} I do try not to see things as failures. Looking back, there are many things I couldn’t prevent, or if I hadn’t done what I did everything would’ve ended badly. Like I said, there’s a reason for everything. Any mistakes I make, I learn from. {/ he then grins, rubbing the side of his neck} But that isn’t what you want to hear, is it? {/ jinki’s smile lessens, guarded eyes directing far away into the distance} A… Failure that has followed me for years is from the day the fire took my family’s farm. I should’ve been with my sister when it came, instead of leaving her alone to fight for herself. I was in the house. I’d left to go grab a torch so we could look down these rabbit holes, you see. She was so young, so far away from the house… And no matter how fast I ran I couldn’t save her. {/ he’s still, sparing the soft heaving of his chest as he breathes} Is that a reason, or a poor excuse? I don’t know… I don’t think I’ll ever know… But I can’t forget it.
