Sunday, September 16, 2007

State Fair and Failure

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The top nine food prevalent at the Utah State Fair (not necessarily in order and you'll also notice that corn dogs made it in more than once...)

Well, I finally broke down and went up to the Utah State Fair last night and all I have to say is that it was quite the experience. It has been several years since I had been up to a fair and I had forgotten the “trailer trash” feeling I always get while I am there. Also, there always comes that undeniable urge to go home and take a shower after touching anything. I think what made it so memorable were all of the bad haircuts on kids (probably done by parents or when the kid was playing with the weed eater), people who thought that $6 for a corndog and $10 for a beer was a total deal, and a sculpture of a cowboy on a bucking bronco formed completely out of butter...ah, the thrills of a state fair!

I do have to admit that there was at least one redeeming portion of the fair that made it sort of worth going and that was the night’s show of Terry Fator, a ventriloquist who had recently won “America’s Got Talent.” I was really impressed with his ability to control his voice and bring characters into life.


While I was at the fair I also met David Farland, an author of more than 50 books! It amazed me that there are these individuals who worked really hard at something, and then were able to do it for a living. While I walked around the displays and tried really hard not to touch anything, I thought of my own life and all of the “little” things that I can do but feel that I am more of a “jack of all trades and master of none.”

I think that we all have dreams…we all have things which we want to accomplish, yet we let fear of failure or laziness hold us back from accomplishing it. However, seldom is anything worthwhile accomplished without work.

It was this sudden realization that came to me while I was up at the Utah State Fair…that I have let too many things hold me back in the past. So, what now? Well, it seems that I need to make a choice to either put in the work and go for it or give up and fall to the fear of failure…

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Whatever! you have such a love for kids and you show them and enspire them to be all they want to be and that is not a failure in my book. You are a master at bring the best out of people and never forget it. Believe in your self I know I do

annette said...

What are your dreams? I mean besides being the most incredible teacher I've ever known? Is publishing one of them? Ah, yes, dreams do take a lot of work. What if you have lots of dreams? More than one lifetime's worth? Are you a failure for not doing them all? How about one dream or two? Time is our friend, and enemy. I have 3 dreams I'm working on: Be a great teacher, a wonderful mom, and a good friend to others. My other dreams, writer, poet, explorer, missionary, are just going to have to wait.

What about you?

Teachinfourth said...

Sarah -

Welcome to my blogspot! Glad you could find it! Don't get me wrong...I love my job on most days, but there are times I keep thinking that I have missed out on a few opportunities in life because of it. Granted, it has opened a few other doors, but there are things which have suffered as well.

Annette -

You pegged it right on, however, I love what you said about, "What if you have lots of dreams? More than one lifetime's worth? Are you a failure for not doing them all?" I do agree with this but there are a few that I would like to accomplish before I die...with this I am reminded of the line from, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" which says, "Any dream will do."

I am glad to know that you are living three of the plethora of dreams you have...would that I could be so content!

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