The little sister looks with admiration into the eyes of her blustering big brother.  He is firm and sure as he says, “failure is NOT and option”.  It motivates her and she pushes through.  “Failure is not an option” becomes and internal mantra of behavior when things get tough.  Sis grows up, works hard, keeps busy, drives her life in the fast lane at autobahn speeds, beeping to pass others who are moving too slow on that road to success.  Finally the time comes when she starts top merge right so she can hit an exit.  She gets off the freeway, gets out, stretches, looks around, takes a rest and begins to feed herself.  She begins to discover simple wonders that sweeten the moment and creative ideas that expand that existence of life.  She begins to enjoy meandering walks more than hard driving.  One day in the midst of a sweet moment shared by morning dew, a tail wagging dog, and sounds of awakened birds she has a thought -  “ Failure is not an option”.  Where did I get that from?  If failure is not an option then what is it?  Is it something that happens to me?  Does something outside of me create failure?  Does failure even exist or is it an illusion that is created to ignore fear when it rears its head.  She stops, coffee steaming in the cool air.  Her dog stops and looks, something is obviously going on.  She says contemplatively yet aloud, “Failure IS an option, and it is one I can choose at anytime.  The moment I choose and accept failure is the moment that I cannot fail.  For the definition of failure is what I say it is and when I choose and accept it, there is an immediate transformation into possibilities lined with peace and imaginings supported by personal power.  She now realizes that all the failures she had failed to admit were never failures at all.  They were moments when new doors were opened and new wonders were found.  Failures are what light the way to our greatest gifts - given and received in this world.   I have failed much in my life and each has been the root of my greatest of my successes.