Today was test day.

Students of different grades from elementary to middle school tested their English skills to either be promoted or (possibly) demoted at the institute.

It’s not likely for students to go down, but I’ve seen student rise.

This quarterly examination reminded me that we are tested, big and small. Some days we succeed and at other times, fail.

These days, I want to be tested socially.

Last Thursday, I received an accessment from the swimming instructor that my front crawl strokes had my hands on an awkward angle going downward along with one of the slower swimmers.

Most times, I would’ve laughed it off and forgotten about it when I was going back home.

But on that day, I felt rotten. Disappointed.

Over a year of swimming, and I was still making simple, bone-headed mistakes.

After a day of feeling awful, I had to tell someone. So I told Da Missus.

That helped a lot.

Today, I reflected on that time and realized I needed more of this feedback.

I can learn from this. I can improve.

Shower me with insults! I can become stronger.

Instead of dreading tests, we should embrace them, let them punch us in the gut if that is the fact.

The test or event is what it is. Let’s see it for what it is. Let’s avoid coloring it with personal definitions if we can.

Let’s act accordingly. Let’s do our best to solve it. Or fail trying.