死性不改。

I tried to laugh it off but I made things worse.
You were the first to give, I was the first to ask.
Now I'm in second place, to get a second chance.

-Faber Drive - "Second Chance"

When people stuff up, second chances are often given. There's forgiveness, and the benefit of the doubt. A second chance to set things straight, a second chance to right the wrongs, and a second chance to not make the same mistake again. But what happens when forgiveness becomes repetitive? What happens, when a second chance is needed over and over again? How many chances are people willing to give others?

You'd think that after a second chance, many people would know not to make the same mistake. A second chance to start over new, to wipe the slate clean. But for some, they never learn. They repeat the same mistake time and time. Just like the saying 死性不该 these people can never change. We give them the benefit of the doubt, but at the end of the day, it is only you who will be hurt again. Why can't these people actually appreciate the second chances people give?

It's often hard to find it in yourself to forgive someone. It can be easy, and hard at the same time. The attempt to let go of the past, and restore all faith and trust into the person after they have done something to you to take that trust away. To forgive someone is hard, but to forgive and forget, is sometimes just impossible, just too much to ask for. What would hurt even more is when someone begins to abuse that trust. Seeing someone abuse such forgiveness can be disappointing - it hurts. At times giving someone the benefit of the doubt is the downfall which leads to sadness, to anger, to disappointment, to the point in which you feel like you've lost what's most important.

Second chances are generous offers which should be appreciated. So when second chances are needed time and time again i.e. a third chance, a fourth chance, is there really any point to it? When it gets to that stage, can you really teach a dog new tricks? No. If more than one second chance is needed, then you yourself would need to actually ponder and think about why you keep letting such things happen too.

Appreciate second chances. Many of us often wish we can turn back time; to go back into the past and to change it. As this is impossible, a second chance is as good as it gets.