How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?

As much as I can remember, I’m not one to cross paths with failure. It’s not like a brag, it’s just how I was conditioned and, trained. Especially, by my dad, who was quite a strict person and, was always expecting me and, my siblings to be flawless.

My dad, especially, wouldn’t wanna hear why you didn’t do well, he would turn a deaf as to reasons why you couldn’t get the same score as that brilliant student in your class. Who would ask ? “Those who scored higher, did they have two Heads?”

Unlike, my mom who would just cajole one whenever any scenarios like this, my dad wouldn’t act that way. He always aimed for perfection; perhaps, a perfectionist. And, quite unfortunately, this “perfectionist” tag grew in me so much that, I get really pissed with myself when I don’t get the overall mark, even when I do well in things I do participate in.

But nonetheless, something terrible happened, something that made me cross paths with failure; and, that was when I was in high school, the 2nd senior year of high school.

We had just finished one of the most craziest sessions ever, where almost everybody knew they were cooked. The session was coupled with so many things which it was quite crazyy and, overwhelming.

Prior to that session, the 1st year was insane and although, I did overcome it and, came out in flying colours, a lot failed and, even the best of the best, the famous students who I was even friends with or shared acquaintances with, also failed.

So, coming into the second session was like a “comeback season” for some people but, they didn’t know that it would be more crazier than the previous one, so we did go on with it cause’, we possibly can’t fast forward that session, can we ?

At the end of the day, results came out and, guess what ? The results that were released, were more crazier than the previous session. It felt like, that second term of the second year of high school was the weapon fashioned against us.

That day of checking results was so intense that, some students even fainted; I for one did foresee that, but didn’t foresee me failing. Though, this failure sounded quite subtle but, was harsh. Cause’ y’all, I failed my favorite subject. Mathematics.

Then, my mom got invited to come see my math teacher and, he was like “He has changed. He’s not like before. Though, he has a lot of potential.”

My day was about to be ruined but, the “he has a potential” kinda made it not so rough. My mom called me over and, like I had previously discussed how she would cajole one, she displayed that act and, also said “Your dad mustn’t find out about this.”

I agreed with her and, gave her a hug cause’ I literally could see myself getting flogged for hours with constant investigations why I failed MATHEMATICS of all subjects from my dad.

That entire session shaped me. It did show me that, nobody is invulnerable to failure. And, what matters really the most is how you’ll take that in and, further improve.

And, very much said, I did. I graduated and left high school as one of the highly elite in the final year of high school, equipped with a perfect post also. It was fun filled and, crazyy but, I made a greater point of moving on, than constant reflection or overthinking about it.

Cupid.