Obama Can't See the Error of His Ways

-- I was wrong to think that the happiest people on earth are those who earn the highest salaries, amass the most wealth and have the most extravagant lifestyles.

-- I was wrong to think you could walk through life with few friends and be no worse for wear, that you could travel the world alone, depend on no one, and feel complete.

-- I was wrong to believe, as someone once told me, that self-centered people are the happiest of all because they get everything they want, don't have to share and never bend.

-- I was wrong to think that you can get anything you want in life if you want it bad enough, work hard and knock down doors; there are negative forces that might stop you.

-- I was wrong to think that you could have what you want when you want it; there are positive forces that will open those doors when the time is right.

-- I was wrong to think of success as a zero-sum game where you succeed only if someone else fails and to not see the value in applauding the victories of others.

-- I was wrong to assume that hometowns are meant to be fled, and that those of us who left home at an early age would be happier the farther we got away from it.

-- I was wrong to believe that we should admire and praise those who achieve something instead of those who endure something. Winning is easy; it's how we respond to losing that shows character.

-- I was wrong to think you could get through life's trials on your own without asking for help now and then from a higher power and experiencing a fuller spiritual life.

See there, Mr. President. It's not that difficult to admit errors in judgment, faulty assumptions, miscalculations. It's OK to pause and take stock of where we went astray. It's part of growing up. As you approach your final year in office, you should give it a try.

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.