The virtue of failure

I can never forget two months of painful unemployment right after my MBA. Made more excruciating by friends finding jobs. I guess, humiliation gets magnified under the fragile lens of youth. I fretted for a longish time until my mind was exhausted. Then it happened - my spirit nudged me and I was reminded that I was worth more than what I was reduced to. The right door was yet to open, no wonder the wrong ones kept opening - tempting me to fail and therefore, see with clarity that which only failure can reveal. And thankfully, see I did.

This happens to me often. As if God has a time table for all of us, and the days we ought to fail are already marked like test days in school for subjects we are bad at. And off we go skidding on the road to failure. Good thing someone has a system for us to fail or constant success would prove disastrous.

I completely believe, for years now, that desperation brings out our best. And clarity strikes in the depths of darkness. We work the hardest when hope is all we got. Will you not agree with me that darkness makes visible that which light is unwilling to uncover? Success is dazzling, it has a way of obscuring what lies beneath. And happiness has little use for questions. But the nature of failure is different. It is hard and unbending. And under its stern gaze we ask questions which never would have crossed our minds otherwise.

Failure is a definite virtue. Or maybe, the value of failure lies in leading us to virtue. Or how else would we have tested our relationship, with ourselves and others. Why would we ever ask tough questions that need asking. And why would we take action even when it might be the hardest thing to do. All of this is not the domain of success, failure on the other hand, is a specialist.

This is true for me as a writer, too. I write all the wrong lines before I know which ought to be the right ones. By not writing well, I generally reach my goal of writing well.

Life's like that also. We need love as much as we do a hard blow once in a while. Just to get us back on track. Failure leads to success. Without a fail.