One of the Best Things My Parents Ever Did

Was to let me fail at some things.

Over the 33 days leading up to my 33rd birthday in 2013, I wrote and posted each of the 33 biggest lessons I felt I had learned in my life up to that point because #clever (right?). This was #6 of my #33by33:

If there were things I wanted, sometimes my parents didn’t give them to me. If there were problems I faced, sometimes they didn’t solve them for me. If there were goals I couldn’t reach, sometimes they didn’t enable me to achieve them.

Even though there were things my parents wanted to do (and often could have done) for me, sometimes they let me face — and feel — disappointment.

And I learned the following things: disappointment won’t destroy you; the fear of failure is often worse than the fall; even if I can’t have something that I desire — no matter how desperately, I can find a way to live happily without it. And whether in the presence or absence of all three, work hard or work harder.

When victorious, celebrate. When defeated, try again or try something new. But with either outcome, never stop asking, “What’s next?”

Thank you, mom and dad.
-your tough, little cookie

Originally published on Instagram on January 13, 2013.