Wholehearted Efforts are Not Failures

While the material rewards of any good effort is not guaranteed, the application thereof should be regarded as commendable.  If we think that we should have merited some recognition that has not been forthcoming, we should think again and realize that we have  sown the seeds of our efforts already, but if we walk away without nurturing that effort, we should not expect to witness some young shoots sprouting.

Success does not come easily. There is, indeed, plenty of room to explore as we traverse the ways of endeavor.  Many a time, we feel dismayed when the goal that we keep pursuing seems to distance itself from our view.  Think of a ladder with multiple rungs.  First, we must be sure that the ladder is firmly set in position, before we look up and ascertain its height.  We might be intimidated as we view the top from where we stand,  before we begin to pluck up our courage and start climbing.  The ladder is so high that we pause half way up, look around and realize that we are all alone, but we must not stop climbing.  There are many more rungs to climb, and as we do so, we might be tempted to look down.  We get dizzy and suddenly stricken with ”acrophobia,” except this phobia is one of a mental and spiritual nature.  It is at this point, that we must keep climbing, or decide to quit, prior to descending to hopelessness and failure. 

On the other hand,  we may keep climbing even if the top appears no closer to our view.  At this point, we may feel at once frustrated and think the ascent bears no significance. But it has, in spite of our sense of failure. All we can do now, is take a deep breath before we continue to climb.