Failure – Isn’t It Beautiful?

Have you ever gone where no man has gone before? I mean, have you tried something new, riddled with failure, barriers, or dubbed nearly impossible?

I did. And, I kicked myself the whole way. My inner voice chanted “You’re crazy”. I should have given up. But I couldn’t no matter how crazy it seemed.

Big Obstacles

Let me explain. I am not a good gardener. My thumb is not green. The only green applicable to me is the word “green horn”. Still, intrigue resulted in target lock.

My children coined the term target lock about my behavior. I lock visuals on a goal and don’t turn loose no matter how intense the sideline noise.

So, I locked my target on growing a winter garden. Nothing could sway me. The food supply woes of 2020 convinced me it was a sane and rational goal.

In September, we began building high tunnels. My goal was to cover the garden with a high tunnel. Inside the tunnel, I would use row covers as a second layer of protection. Simple, right?

Failure Visits

All went well until the sixty mile-per-hour winds destroyed my tunnels. We have been in slow rebuild mode ever since. I was crazy. I failed. Or so it seemed.

Yes, I lost some veggies. It was discouraging. But, not all was lost. Today we woke up to an inch of snow.

Beauty in the Dead of Winter

Imagine walking outside. No sign of green anywhere. Your lips and nose tingle nearing numbness. You carefully reach out a hand to remove the stiff white fabric and …

Green, lots and lots of vibrant green. Oh, and orange. I planted carrots too. The bold colors proclaim its nutrient density. All this color at the end of January no less!

Friendship with Failure

Who would have thought it possible? Going where no man has gone before suddenly feels worth it. Tackling the impossible yields great rewards. True, failure is a part of this salad mix. As much as we don’t want failure, it is a part of life.

We All Fail

Think about it. We all started with failure. Specifically, our first steps met failure. We fell. But, we dusted ourselves off and got back up. Oddly we act as if failure should never enter the equation when we learn new skill sets.

Value of Failure

Not succeeding stings. However, it leaves a memorable impression on us. Persevering through failure to achieve success emphasizes the joy of our accomplishments.

Do you see failure as a friend or foe? Have you pressed through negative outcomes to experience success? I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.