The Falling Oak - Learning How to Die
Copyright© 2018 by Darian Wolfe
Chapter 23: Failure
Nov. 23, 2018
When I was a child there was a TV show called Baa Baa Black Sheep Squadron. It was about a hard living, hard drinking, U.S.M.C. fighter squadron led by Gregory “Pappy” Boyington during WWII in the South Pacific. The Black Sheep and The Flying Tigers were heroes to my buddies and I. In one episode the black sheep frenemy a Japanese pilot they capture. The pilot said something that always stuck with me. “If I were to use a thousand words to describe being Japanese and each word had a thousand shades of meaning I still could not convey the depth of it’s meaning.” I’m paraphrasing. Give me a break it’s been over 40 years, but the 1000 word and 1000 shades of meaning part is correct and that’s the gist of the meaning.
As I’ve reflected on it over the years I’ve realized that life itself has many shades of meaning. It’s more precise to say we apply many shades of meaning to life. We use words as one of our ways to describe life so by extension even a word that has only one or two literal definitions can have thousands of shades of meaning to the discerning mind. Failure is such a word.
At first glance, it is such a simple word. It has so many subtleties and layers though when it’s experienced in life. It’s as if each one is a new and previously unheard of experience. Most of the world’s Wisdom literature advises against pursuing too much wisdom for this reason. The more layers you can discern the more pain you feel. Better to have enough to get by and have a good life. I think Bocephus had it about right “Good friends, good whiskey, and good loving”. In other words, if you’ve got people who love you, good food, a decent enough roof, and the health to enjoy it. You’ve got enough.
I had an awesome Thanksgiving and I hope you did too. I spent time with the family, played with the grandkids, and had some great food. I appreciate the folks who dropped me a note yesterday. Thank you. Now, today was a different kettle of fish and got me thinking about failure.
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