The Power of Failure



111

23 See the Magnificent in the Minimal

When life gives us much less than we wanted or expected, it is easy to get discouraged. We exercise and eat well for weeks and lose far fewer pounds and inches than we had hoped for. We work very hard for many days on a project and only one or two people notice and thank us rather than the multitude we thought would be singing our praises. On such occasions it is easy to lose sight of success and to feel that life has failed us.

But life does not have to give us all we want and expect and rarely does. The key is to learn how to see the possibilities and value in what we do receive and have, even the smallest things. Of all the lines ever written, among my favorite are these ...