Don’t Give Up

When asked how orientation went, a mature aged studied replied,” Orientation was fine. But when I got home I had a melt down. I can’t do this. I can’t do this. I can’t ”

How often have we heard I can’t? How often have we said I can’t? When I was teaching I heard it often — before a new activity, before a race, when being presented with a rope to learn how to skip, during art lessons, during ball skills practice. With help and lots of encouragement the children would always try. To see little people succeed after persevering and trying over and over would bring tears to my eyes. Now many years later when I hear “I can’t” the image of smiling faces of children who tried and tried and didn’t give up, comes to my mind. Clint Eastwood was told by Universal Studios that he would never act because his Adam’s Apple protruded and he spoke too slowly. Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone, was told no one would use it. Thomas Edison was asked by a reporter how it felt to fail after 2000 experiments. His response was, ” I didn’t fail once. It was a 2000 step process.” Sir Edmund Hillary’s first attempt at climbing Mt Everest failed. He commented later, ” I will beat the mountain next time. It has grown all it can grow. I’m still growing.” The following year he succeeded. These people did not give up. They tried just one more time. We should never worry about failure, but about the chances we miss if we don’t even try. “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heart-breaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats “. B.C.Forbes

Hills can be obstacles or glorious delights.