How Do You Deal with Failure?

[Janellebelovedpig]

I’m thinking about bringing a character into my allegory named “Yore,” short for Failure, as Little One later finds out.

I want to include deep conversations with Failure about his reminders to Little One of the past and the Book reminding her of sufficient grace and how those who have been forgiven little love little. Failure is going to be her companion on her journey, similar to Sorrow and Suffering were to Much Afraid in Hind’s Feet on High Places.

At some point he’s going to leave and Little One is free from his nagging voicing of her regrets. It starts out she kind of thinks he will help her. And also, she doesn’t tell anyone she has this companion.

Any suggestions or tips from how you handle failures in your own life?

[Allison]

@janellebelovedpig

Hmm. Thats a hard question. Everyone deals with their failures differently. Maybe Little one could have her own special way of dealing with them? She could be really sad or really mad. She could cry at the slightest thought of Yore, try to find him again? Im not quite sure. I hope that helps! 🙂

[Karissa Chmil]

@janellebelovedpig Oooh, this premise sounds fascinating. I’d be super interested in reading this one day.

I don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, so behold, a rambling list of points about failure:

• If you remember failure, that remembrance is going to be called something. But there’s a difference between guilt and regret – guilt is crippling and continually tells you that you’re a terrible person for what you failed in; regret is softer and something that you wish you had done, but without the crushing guilt along with it.
• True healing from failure, I’d say, isn’t forgetting about it or moving on as if it didn’t happen – it’s recognizing fault where it occurred, learning from it, and determining never to do it again. Instead of pinning you in the past, it launches you into the future.
• One problem with failure is that we define our worth in our success. I don’t know how far you’re going with the allegory-type elements, but if you do have a Creator-type character, you could pull some of the what-actually-defines-our-worth in there.
• “And also, she doesn’t tell anyone she has this companion.” This is going to be fascinating. If Little One meets with other people but doesn’t tell them about Failure, then even if they’re encouraging and loving, she’ll have a lot of reasons to brush them off. Oh, they don’t know about this. If they had been around for that, they wouldn’t say it. They’re just saying it because they don’t actually know about me. That would be a really interesting storyline to run with.
• We don’t talk about failure a lot, but everyone fails. There’s no category of ‘those who fail’ vs. ‘those who don’t’. Humans mess up.
• I love your point about those who have been forgiven little love little. <3 That’s a beautiful way to phrase it. What if Little One had another companion at some point, who picks her up time and time again and pours out love – only for Little One to realize that they’ve messed up badly. That they know the taste of Failure first-hand. That could be incredibly powerful.

As I said, a ramble. xD I hope a bit of that was helpful, and, again, this story sounds fascinating. Definitely something I’d consider reading.

• This reply was modified 11 months, 1 week ago by Karissa Chmil.

wonder | beauty | truth | love

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