(September 28th) I remember the first time that I saw JK Rowlings presentation on the fringe benefits of failure. In fact, it was first suggested to me by my mother dear and then I, in turn, recommended it to the class and here I am now writing in response to it (really late, I might add.) However, I still remember the first time that I saw it. It was during the summer of this last year and I was in the midst of a very hard relationship situation. I'd waited for a Sister missionary and... (you know where this is going)...long story short, it didn't work out.

As I watched JK Rowling talk to a successful group, herself in the midst of great success, I thought it very appropriate that she would talk about how all of us are ought to fail. I felt a little bit like a failure when I was watching it. Or rather, something in my life had failed and not gone according to plan. I was ok, though. I was still breathing.

I think that sometimes we fear failure too much. I know that I do. My parents have started three business between the two of them - guess how many I've seen fail... yup, 3! If you were to analyze all they've done on paper, it would be marked with a big red "F". And yet, they've succeeded. They're alive and breathing.

Perhaps it stands to reason that the only true success is failure!