Everyone makes mistakes that inevitably affect someone else, but the real test is in how both parties involved handles those mistakes. Honesty, humility, grace and dignity are the key in these situations. A wonderful example happened just this week in baseball when pitcher, Armando Galarraga, one call away from pitching a perfect game. Unfortunately, this very rare accomplishment, and the honor that goes with it was taken from Galarraga when he was at the wrong end of a mistaken call made by the umpire, Jim Joyce. As frustrating and provocative as this call was, the honesty, grace and integrity that each of these men handled the circumstance with was an example to all who watched it unfold.

Immediately afterwards, Galarraga took the high road. He didn’t scream and yell about it, he simply walked off the mound. Similarly, Joyce didn’t try to explain it away or get defensive, he admitted to his mistake, sincerely and publically. As a result, he was met with an out pouring of grace from both players and spectators alike.
How would you have handled making such a big mistake? Would you have admitted your fault? What if someone made this mistake and it involved you, would you forgive such a mistake? What occurred on and off that baseball diamond was bigger than the game itself, because all involved made personal responsibility and character the MVP.