I was having breakfast with my 11-year-old granddaughter Chloe. She had tried out for the play at her school. The play is Annie. She auditioned for the lead. She didn’t get that role, but she did get bit part. She even has three lines.
I was very proud of her for trying out. I was actually shocked she tried out for the lead. As many of you know Annie is a musical. Chloe is a wonderful young lady. She is cute, funny, witty, athletic, confident, and smart. What she is not is musical. She loves music, but she is not musical. And by ‘not’ musical I mean she cannot sing. Unfortunately for her, and her mom (my daughter), she got my vocal quality.
In our conversation I asked her, “Why did you try out for the play?” I absolutely loved her response. “I just wanted to try something different.”
I admire her willingness to try. She had never been in a play before, so she wanted to give it try. And why not? It would be a wonderful experience. She may never be in another play again, but she’ll be in this one.
I have to say that all of my grandkids are willing to try. Eli, my second oldest grandson, has tried a variety of sports. He has tried hockey, basketball, baseball, and football. Next on his list is wrestling. He hasn’t hit on the one he enjoys most, but he is willing to try.
Most people aren’t willing to try. There is that fear of failure. There is a concern we won’t be very good. We hold back wondering what people might say about us.
When we are unwilling to try we miss a great deal. We miss opportunity. We miss surprising ourselves. We miss experience. We miss discovery.
Let’s make 2023 the year of try. Let it be a year when we are willing to step out and try. Try a new activity. Try a new food. Try our hand at something we always thought we might like to do. Try something we are pretty sure we may fail at, but will give it a go to find out.
I submit this as a prayer for 2023: God give me the courage to fail. For if I have failed at least I have tried.