Failure culture

NASA did it!  And I love them for the story they tell.

Exploration on Mars has been a long, desolate road.  The planet has beckoned to Earth's inhabitants ever since people have been gazing at it through telescopes.  After rocket power was discovered, attempt after attempt by the USSR and the USA failed to either reach Mars or operate properly.  Europe and Japan have also tried reaching Mars.  Finally, several probes from the USA managed to snap pictures of Mars' surface.  Then came the landings.  Most were successful, but landing on Mars and completing the mission successfully has only had a collective 47% success rate for all countries that have tried it.

That sounds a lot like the missions I try in life.  Some of my missions have not reached Earth's orbit.  Some have malfunctioned while making the trip.  Some have crash-landed on the surface.  And some have performed like they were supposed to have and have added much quality and knowledge to my life.  But, just knowing that some of the bravest, most expert scientists in the world have collectively not done very well in meeting their objectives makes me feel better about my own failures.

I think of Edison when I think of failures in life.  Time after time after time he tried this chemical and that, this shape and that, this thickness of filament and that, this size of bulb and that, this strength of current and that, this type of material for bulbs and filaments and that.  I have never tried to do something 1000 times, but I think I would probably drop experimentation after the 300th attempt.  But, Edison and space programs have something in common.  They knew that landing and light could happen with the right combination of knowledge and time.  So, they settled in for the long haul... and they will be remembered for all the quality they have added to human existence.  I will not be remembered by history for anything major done for society, but I can add to the quality of human existence within the sphere allotted to me.

Failures have happened for me in life and have occurred more often than not... over half the time (just as for attempts to land on Mars and discovering the light bulb).  But, how sweet it is when everything happens properly, and success is achieved.... sweet and long lasting, memorable and flavorful.