Friday, January 14, 2011

Wins and Fails

How do we decide if some personal event is a win or a fail? I suspect it's a matter of perspective mostly. I was thinking back over my life the other night. Most of the initial failures turned into successes. Instead of outright fails, they became detours.

Sometimes on those detours we learn something we needed to know. Or something is revealed that would otherwise remain hidden. All of life is not a straight and narrow road. And the curves and hills test our strengths and weaknesses in ways the straight and narrow cannot.

Once we're past the initial shock of the detour, the result will determine how we face the new circumstances. Do we lie down and die? Do we fight back? Do we adjust? Do we take advantage of the changes? Our choices will decide whether it's a win or fail.

Sometimes we just need to pause and have a good chin scratch.

anny

2 comments:

  1. Now you're cookin' with gas! Yes, I've had many detours in my life and they are all fodder for stories - that's the thing about detours, you never know where you'll end up.

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  2. As Julia said, "they are all fodder for stories". I have lived through a lot of things that I am very, very happy that my kids have not had to live through. But my kids are amazed by more stories! They always say, "Write a book, mom! You don't even have to add anything! Just write down exactly what happened!" But your stories are WAY better than mine, Anny! I hope that you write them down. Even if you never have those stories published, I guarantee you that your grand children and great-grandchildren will be glad that you did.

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