七転び八起き. Sometimes I see this proverb, which is actually Japanese, in a fortune cookie. It literally translates as "Fall seven times and stand up eight." Our successes are the result of our failures. We just need to persevere. Or be very lucky. Since my only luck is Irish luck, I need to keep trying. Based on the number of failures I've had in my life, I should be pretty damn successful once I've finally grown up. I saw several examples of perseverance this past weekend in both local and professional sports.
In the NFL's 2017 season, the Philadelphia Eagles won its first Superbowl despite losing starting QB Carson Wentz to injuries. This year, ironically, it seems Wentz is the only uninjured player. The team just took the NFC East with players like 5'7" Boston Scott, who was cut from the team and was playing on the practice squad.
This happened because Wentz and Scott never gave up on themselves.
While the Eagles were clawing their way into the playoffs, I was at DeSales for a mens' basketball game against bigger and stronger William Patterson University. Two of DeSales' starters have been sidelined with injuries. In no time at all, the team was down by 12. But like the Eagles, this squad never quit on itself and ended up winning a close and very exciting 62-60 game. The top two Bulldog scorers, Timmy Edwards (13) and Mike Bealer (12), came in off the bench. Matt Kachelries (10), a former Emmaus standout who was hobbled by a virus early in the season, managed to somehow block a three-point shot from William Patterson with 4.9 seconds left in the game.
I've fallen many times in my 68 years. My critics like to point out I'm a drunk, and I am. They say I'm disbarred, and I am. They point out I have little money, and that's true.
But I keep getting up.
I imagine many of you have had failures of your own. In most cases, they've made you a better person.
How about -“I failed my way to success.”
ReplyDeleteWas the voting machine fiasco a test? Read the MC article and learned about things that were hidden from the public.
ReplyDeleteNorthampton County hides a lot of things from the taxpayers.
DeleteAre you stealing homilies again? Who should get credit for your stolen sermons?
ReplyDeleteWhen in doubt lift up your head and shout - FUCK IT
ReplyDeleteThe measure of a man is not how often he falls down but how often he gets back up.
ReplyDeleteHow come you not answering vote machine questions
ReplyDeleteBecause I sleep from time to time. I have written extensively about the voting machines, the litigation and complaints made.
ReplyDeleteBern,did you have a nightmare about one of the many happenings in the world today that knocked the black hole in your soul out last night?
ReplyDeleteI have no sympathy for repeat DUI offender's. 3-4 & even 5 timers seem to never learn...
ReplyDeleteResilience?
ReplyDeleteHow quaintly old fashioned.
Today, we have people who are near-suicidal over the weather.
Made a mistake once. Thought I'd done something wrong. Turns out, I was mistaken.
ReplyDeleteFront page story on voting. Numerous hidden texts and emails detailing complaints. Some from McClure insiders. Yeah, nothing to see here.
ReplyDeleteAside from an irresponsible and misleading headline, there really is nothing in that story that I failed to cover here, and in far more detail.
ReplyDeleteBern we know your black heart is still intact and that thing still keeps pumping crude through your veins to capture the political parasites! Just because you are one sided your writing only has one side too, too over come your adversaries that practice criminality in there political panderance for the almighty public dollar for personal use in there endeavors.
ReplyDeleteA prosperious New Year and many more too that black heart of yours.