Failure.

Here is a quote from one of my favorite movies, Elizabethtown. It’s not necessarily the quote but the subject of it that applies to me. Failure is a great fear of mine. It would be hard for me to admit that, but it is absolutely true so I have no reason to be shy about it. I am examining the depth and relevancy of failure.

“There's a difference between a failure and a fiasco. A failure is merely the absence of success. Any fool can achieve failure. But a fiasco, a fiasco is a disaster of epic proportions. A fiasco is a folk tale told to others to make other people feel more alive because it didn't happen to them.” – Drew Baylor, Elizabethtown


Is it a hindrance or a lack of a propelling force that results in failure?

Is failure a presence or an absence?

To be so concerned with the failings and successes in our lives distracts us from the true breath of humanity. The heartbeat of mankind is drawn by love from above (God) and then love from around (each other). Neither victory nor loss should play a role in the level of a relationship. I must believe that a friendship, a relationship, a love is begun and strengthened and survived despite success and failure.

So I ask, does optimism trump foreboding failure?
If a positive outlook and contagious energy were all it took to cure a failure (or even a fiasco), I’d be glowing all the time. You see, underneath it all, I believe in a smile. I believe in joy. I believe in excitement and happiness. I believe in beauty and creativity and the power of sharing it’s warmth.

Perhaps it is my overwhelming desire and enjoyment of success that drives me to the fear of failure. Either way, my failures will not define me.