the real world

In the third grade, we learned how to write in cursive. My teacher told us time and time again that in high school, if your teacher sees that you didn't write in cursive on an assignment, they would simply throw it in the trash. She said she was preparing us for the real world.
In high school, I had a tendency to be late to class. My teachers reprimanded me, and warned that in college, if I was late, the professor would kick me out of the classroom without even asking for an explanation. That's how the real world is run, they said.
The "real world" seemed so harsh and unforgiving; no second chances! One mistake and you're outta here! But it's not like that at all. Sure, there are instances where those principles apply, but not when it really matters.
I've made lots of mistakes in my life, some not so big, some huge! So have you, I'd wager. But want to know something wonderful? I have always been able to fix them. I've always been able to recover and move on.
I love that I am able to repent of my sins. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a marvelous thing! The Savior bled for us in the Garden, died for us on the cross, and rose again, all so that we can fix our mistakes and return to Him. What a beautiful plan! What a true manifestation of love! 
2 Nephi 10:20 says "let us remember Him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off". My friends, we are never cast off from the Lord. He is not harsh or unforgiving. We are His children and He will always provide a way for us to return to Him.
In high school, no one cared that I never mastered cursive. In college, no professor dismissed me from class. And in the "real world," I have never been denied the opportunity to correct my wrongdoings and feel my Heavenly Father's love.