No Failures - Only resolutions to do our best

     As the Olympics have begun (and wasn’t the parade of nations thrilling and inspiring?), I am thinking about 1996 Olympic Champion Dan O’Brien.  I recently heard Dan interviewed on the Mully and Hanley show on the SCORE, AM 670 Sports Radio in Chicago.

     Dan recounted how he was the favorite to win the decathlon at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.  He had even been proclaimed, “The World’s Greatest Athlete”.  But during the Olympic trials in New Orleans, he failed to qualify after three bad attempts at the pole vault.  He did not qualify for the 1992 Olympics.  It was a huge failure.

     He said he was devastated, as anyone would be, and actually could not talk to anyone for about a week.  But then he continued to work and train.  He was ready in 1996, and won the gold medal in the decathlon event in Atlanta.  He now helps kids and will often be asked to talk to a high school team that has lost and feels the pain of failure.   He helps them get back on their feet mentally.  Thanks, Dan.  To all of us who have been confronted with failure in our lives – you are a hero!

     According to Abbas Abedi, on the website Health Guidance, everyone has a failure to face from time to time.  He wrote, “When we encounter a major failure, we feel so frustrated that we oftentimes see no meaning in continuing the work started or in pursuing life itself.  Everything seems so bleak and gloomy, like a sandcastle swept away and crushed by big ocean waves.”

     He continues, “Let us not be deceived by the success stories around us.  Behind every success are numerous failures….A success story is never complete without passing through tales of failure.  Failure makes victory taste sweeter.”

      John Maxwell said, “Life’s biggest failures are, in truth, glorious opportunities for personal growth and positive transformation.”

     King David is a classic example of someone who went through very challenging times.   After he seduced another man’s wife and impregnated her, he had the husband killed in a battle.  Later, he was chastised and the baby died.  He felt awful and turned to God.  He poured out his heart and eventually found redemption through perseverance and hard work.

     I remember times when my career faced a roadblock, and seemed to be a failure.  At first, I was totally discouraged, but after each time, God provided me with an opportunity to share his love with others.  This was quite a lesson.  My career was not to unfold in the way I outlined, but as I continued to trust God, it still had all sorts of opportunities to serve Him.

     I had deep bouts with jealousy and anger, but I remembered the words of a dear friend: “No one is any better than another, but all of us can be better than we have been.”

     How much kindness, joy, spontaneity, compassion and empathy can we give to others when they feel in need of encouragement?  That’s a big question involving humility and unselfishness.  But is that too big when compared with what Dan O’Brien faced?  We will find opportunities to help others, which in turn will help us.

     These expressions of care and love will help each of us mentally and physically.  Our bodies respond to love.  Our hearts and minds are made whole through it.  We will find courage and strength, elation and uplift.  No longer afraid of the choices (or lack of them) ahead of us, the hard work of kindness will bring us through our challenges and show us increased opportunities to have a better life.