Coming to Terms with Failure

click to enlarge I truly believe that the ability to tolerate and survive failure is one of the most important skills of life. Sooner or later, you are going to fail at something, so it's important to know how to get through it without jumping off a bridge. It isn't easy, however. Fear of failure keeps us from fulfilling our dreams, and after a lifetime of fear, we are left with a big pile of broken dreams and some serious disappointment. And demons. With pointy forks. What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— Like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? --Langston Hughes