What's Your One Weakness?

​A favorite TV series of mine is Lark Rise to Candleford. I watched it many years ago and liked it enough to consider rewatching it recently. A character on the show, the Postmistress, made me laugh by remarking, “It’s my one weakness.”

Over the course of the show, she said this on multiple occasions, revealing multiple “one weaknesses.” I picked up the phrase and use it from time to time to make my husband laugh.

When I say it around other people, though, they sometimes give me a funny look. “Your one weakness?” my sister echoed.
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“Of course it’s not my only weakness,” I explained, and I told her about the show. Since then, I worry that people take the remark to reflect a lack of humility. Who, among us, has only one weakness?

Usually, when I make the remark, the weakness is something superficial. “Chocolate is my one weakness,” I’ll say.

“Shoes are my one weakness.”

Or “Butter is my one weakness.”

Or “Clutter is my one weakness.”

You get the idea. What I rarely, if ever, reference are more serious weaknesses, like pride or anxiety or selfishness.

I don’t say, “Worrying too much is my one weakness,” or “My one weakness is that I’m too easily distracted from doing what I know I should be.”

I’m unlikely to say, “My one weakness is being inconsiderate of others by being habitually late,” or “My one weakness is prioritizing the wrong things.”

Oh, I have plenty of one weaknesses, both superficial and more serious. Perhaps our weaknesses help us to overlook and forgive those we see in others. He, who is without sin, can cast the first stone. (John 8:7)

I’ve signed a contract for the publication of my next book, The Girl from the Bell City Bottom. Failing to tell people I meet about my writing is often my “one weakness” so please spread the word for me. Thanks!
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In the meantime, check out Song of Sugar Sands. I was able to set the sale to run for $1.99 on Kindle through March 22 (free on Kindle Unlimited).  http://www.debracolemanjeter.com/song-of-sugar-sands.html