Do you have concern for the failures ?

Liba Hopeson *

Being a person who has experienced agonizing pain as a result of dismal failures, I have learnt valuable lessons from my failures, and therefore, I don't brush off the failures as insignificant now. I firmly hold that failures are not hopeless creatures, but they can become outstanding people and marvel others. If they get good encouragement, motivation, suggestion and advice from people, they can wonderfully change and do amazing things in life. But sadly, we often delight in basking in the glory of the successful people but do not have much concern for the failures.

We normally undermine them, ignore them, and speak contemptuously against them. One of my intimate friends who had trodden on the ground of failure for a period of time said, "Failures have no place in our society; we become non-existent unless we succeed". But undaunted by his failure, he moved forward with his indefatigable spirit and now he is doing pretty well in his career.

He writes, "No matter how hard the adversities of life hit; No matter how vivid the scar of yesterday's failure haunts; No matter how blurry the visions of tomorrow be marred; Nothing is impossible if we defy the impossible. It is not my view that those who achieve success should not be appreciated or congratulated, but as I study meticulously, failures are not considered well in our society today.

Therefore, we need to rethink and reconsider on this matter. One day, as I was turning the pages of daily newspaper, Nagaland Post, felicitation notes caught my eyes. Interestingly, something prompted me to count them and I counted thirty seven. Imagine, just in one day paper, thirty seven felicitation notes were given.

In fact, it indicated that we have successful people in our society. We laud and elevate them and wish them success in life. We often discuss those who achieve success, but we hardly talk about the failures, their well being and future.

Most of the people in our society say that they fail because of their laziness, frailties, shortcomings and sins. You will not know well how much those who suffer from stomach pain struggle unless you experience it. Likewise, you will not know how the failures feel and how people around them add salt to their wounds by looking at them with different eyes and by throwing stones at them. We should not forget that failures are human beings.

As we revisit the pages of history, we are reminded that many failures become successful, influential and great. Their failures have taught the other failures invaluable lessons, and they ultimately triumph. Though hardships and pains struck them, they determined to scale the heights people don't expect and surprise many by doing incredible things. Failures have taught us that failing in doing something is not the end in life, but it could be a great stepping stone for success.

But it appears that most of the people in our society have not learnt good lessons from failures. Why don't we care the failures? Most of the people want immediate good results and outcome. We hardly study the value of long-term results and the importance of moving steadily. Here, I don't mean that we need to intentionally fail in doing something so that we can experience new things. But in many instances, we want instant or quick results and fail to realize that we need time, patience and perseverance in many of our endeavors.

Thus, we fail to realize that some will become successful, outstanding and great though they meet failures in life. Many fail due to different reasons. No doubt, many fail because of their laziness, carelessness and other wrongdoings.

But still, they are not rubbishes which have to be thrown away. Many fail due to some reasons, for which, most of the people do not know at all. Whatever the reason is, failures, if encouraged, motivated and inspired, can become successful and fruitful people. They can be of great help in the society. Many failures have proved it but we hardly realize.

Only the time people do good things, we appreciate and praise them. Failures should not be always looked down, criticized, ill-treated and condemned. When they prove you wrong, your heart will burn! Let us never forget that failures are not incapable of achieving success.

They can do amazing things, shake and turn the world. We need to have a heart for the failures. Don't pull the failures down by talking only about the successful people and lifting them up. Failures have flesh and blood like you. They have potentialities. They need you. Do you have concern for the failures?