SubscribeDo You Remember How You Learned to Walk?
Posted on Aug 28, 2008 under Attitude, Challenges in Life, Determination, Inspiration, Learning from Failure, Life, Quotation, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Reflection, Standing up from Failure, Toddler | 24 Comments
Do you remember how you learned to walk when you were a toddler? I believe no one could ever remember how one learned to walk when he/she was a toddler. I couldn’t remember a thing or two of it even if I tried to think hard. According to an article in American Baby Magazine, February 2000, p.36 entitled Total Recall, a baby’s long term memory can be for as long as twenty-four hours at six weeks old and up to four months time at sixteen months old. When I took a ride in the time machine, I could only go back to as far as when I was about the age of 3-4. Anything before that was like a blank piece of paper; the blank could only be filled in by the memories of our loved ones who watched us grow.
The inability to remember how one learned to walk could be a very important reason why some gave up so readily when they faced with challenges in life. Had they remembered the time when they were learning to walk, they would not be so ready to give up without a fight.
If you would allow me, please moves back in time with me to about one year ago when my twin nephews were learning to walk. Even before they learned to walk, they had to learn to fall on their bums while trying to stand up on their own legs. Most time when they tried to stand up, they fell. Sometimes they cried when falling down hurt. The other times they learned to giggle and to laugh at themselves. It might take them a while to want to stand up again after they fell, however, they never waited too long to give it another shot.
There were times when we were around to catch them when they fell, to cheer them on and there were also times when they picked themselves up silently, without us watching. The numerous falls did not stop them from wanting to rise on their legs. Did they hurt when they fell? I do not know. But their determination to rise up every time they fell was what we could see.
The question is, if everyone has been through this stage, shouldn’t we have this same determination to rise up every time we fall too? I believe everyone has this determination – when we remember how we had stood up every time we fell.
Of course the story did not end there. After learning to stand up on their legs, it was time to take the first step, which was also one of the most important steps in their lives. Did the first step end well? On the contrary, just like everyone else, they fell down again on their first step. Did they try again? What do you think? Just a hint, if they had stopped trying then, I wouldn’t have the chances to chase the two of them around the house now and a day will come when I have to catch my breath while chasing them.
One may say, “they had all the encouragement and cheering when they were taking those steps.” I do not deny the fact that we were giving them a lot of encouragement and cheering along the way. However, they had to be the one who wanted to keep on trying even after endless falls. What did they know about falling? Nothing? Maybe they knew much more about falling than you and I because – they knew nothing about falling to begin with? They did not think too much of people laughing at them or teasing them or no one supporting them; in other words, they did not find reasons to justify their fall. They just knew they can walk when they kept on trying. All the other reasons were not important anymore.
The next time round when you are facing some challenges, do try to remember how you had learned to walk.
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing but in rising up every time we fail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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