In this imperfect world filled with frustration, nothing is more important than the ability to reset and try again. In life we fail often, but almost always there are more chances to turn our failures into tangible successes. The opportunities that help us to attain our goals are an indescribable gift.
In every circumstance, there are many kinds of resets available to us. If you are tired you can recharge with sleep. If you are hungry you can refuel. If you have trouble during the first portion of the day you can reset and finish the day on a different note. If you have an off day there is always the next day to try something different. If you have trouble during a week then a new week will follow. If a month is especially difficult, there is always another one on the way. Years filled with conflict can give way to a time of peace.
If I had to explain how life seems to work, I would use the game of hockey as a central metaphor. The players are assigned to lines and throughout the game, each line takes a turn on the ice before coming to the bench to rest. After the full rotation of lines is over, a new rotation starts and each line gets a new turn to make a difference in the game. While the outcome of the game is never guaranteed, each player gets many turns to try and influence the result. Bad shifts are replaced by better shifts. Eventually bad games are replaced by better games. Even disastrous seasons eventually give way to triumphant ones.
When I have an off day I am grateful for the opportunity to try again the next day.
When I was young I did not appreciate the miraculous beauty of this. I wanted to avoid failure because it hurt too much to fail.
But failure is only powerful if we believe that we have run out of chances to make things right. With my awareness that I can reset in virtually any situation, I can accept failure because I see that it is temporary. The next day I can try again and experience a different outcome.
The power of a reset is incalculable. When you are aware of it, your failures vanish into yesterday and you can take up any challenge with a renewed vigor and joy. There is courage to try new things and a healthy detachment when things do not go immediately as planned.
Everything we do can be done only in stages. Most things are seldom accomplished in one try. Effort often leads to failure but after each failure there is an opportunity to reset. This is indeed a blessing!
During this time when we are struggling against the Covid virus, many of us are experiencing havoc and upheaval. For all of us, the ability to reset is literally our salvation.