The Gift of Failure

Finding Grace in What Goes Wrong

By Lori Ann Wood

All my life, I have avoided failure at any cost.

But I’ve learned that, sometimes, it just sneaks up on you.

In junior high, I attended my younger brother’s winter concert in the school gym. When I arrived, some older kids motioned for me to join their group. Feeling unexpectedly flattered and uncharacteristically bold, I decided to accept their invitation instead of sitting with my parents. These super-cool kids, not wanting to appear too interested in the program, had a section at the top of the bleachers toward the back.

The lights dimmed, and the janitor-turned-pianist began to play “Winter Wonderland.” The crowd hushed as a fourth grader in his dad’s suit walked down the center aisle, throwing miniature marshmallows into the crowd on either side. Somehow, several of the little “snowballs” made it up to our back row. A couple of daring kids in the group began to throw them back—throughout the entire program. I cringed at their disobedience, ignoring their encouragement to join in.

The next day at school, the principal summoned me into his office.