Do or do not, there is no try

I've been ruminating lately about the nature of failure. What counts as a failing in life? I suppose the optimist in me wants to feel like a "failure" is just something better waiting down the road. But the optimist in me is a retiring soul, and glass half-empty usually wins the argument. I've been dealing with a couple of failures in my life lately, or at least what I would consider failures, and thinking about them as I work on my Dad's Toirneach Kilt Hose. I've ripped those things back to the needles 3 times now, but the fourth time seems to be a charm. I refuse to give up on them. I WILL conquer this project and present my Dad with a Father's Day gift that has meaning and warmth. He will march in his bagpipe parades and with every step, he will feel tiny stitches of love. Actually, he'll probably die of heat stroke; I don't know how he plans to wear wool knee socks marching in summer parades.

But what I've thought about is how knitting is something I very frequently falter at, but I do not fail...because I refuse to give up. I think that's how I should take my recent setbacks too, as another step in life's journey...or perhaps another stitch on life's needles? No. That's too cheesy even for me, and I cry at Campbell's Soup commercials. I will frog it back to the needles once again, take stock, and cast on.