Failure is When You Don't Get Up

Failure is When You Don’t Get Up             

 

By John W. Vander Velden

 

 

I’ll be the first to admit that there are times you should leave the cards at the table and just walk away.  Each of us have faced situations where the time and energy invested can not provide the solution we are needing.  It’s just life.  There are times when we need to pick up the pieces, often broken pieces, and see if we can assemble…something…from the rubble.  And there are times we need to abandon…just give up.  It depends on what we are doing, and what we need, and what is even possible.  But how do any of us know what is possible…I mean really!   

I, like everyone, have been knocked down.  Again that’s part of life.  So what I try to remember is that no matter how often I am knocked down…it’s only a failure if I don’t get up.  So far I have gotten up.  So far I continue to strive to do what others might think is impossible.  And maybe, what I hope to accomplish is impossible…but maybe not.  I cling to that maybe not.  

Falling down and thumping my head is a learning process.  When Nick began to walk…he fell.  The first time he fell hard, he didn’t dare to stand upright again for months.  I guess he realized he wasn’t ready…yet.  But he walks.  He runs.  He used to march with the band.  He strolls over the golf course.  When it comes to walking, he’s no failure.  You see he got up.  We can all be taught a great deal by how children learn, can’t we? 

The world we share changes…all the time.  The measure of success in any given area seems in flux.  We strive to reach goals that at many times seem to be a moving target.  We fall down.  But if the goal we pursue is worthy, then we get up.  We try again, and again, and again, even when we fear there is no hope to achieve our goal.  But to strive forward is never failure.  To dust ourselves off and step forward is never failure.  It is only failure when we hold our hands up and surrender.  Giving up is failure.  And if we give up on something that is very worthwhile it becomes a dismal failure. 

Surely not everything we try will result in success.  Many times we’re better off when things do not go the way we want.  It’s just that sometimes we don’t know what’s good for us.  But if there is something that really matters…really matters to others…really matters to ourselves.  Something that we see as important.  Something we see worth whatever pain and sacrifice it takes. Reaching that goal may not be within our abilities, and we fall in the attempt.  But it is only failure when you don’t get up. 

(475 Words)         9-19-2016