Klaus Doring

I received the following text message from one of my best friends:

“Sometimes a sunrise promises a beautiful day, yet sometimes it fails; but God promises a bountiful life, and he never fails!”

At the same time another good friend stayed in my house. He kept on complaining how bad his life in the Philippines had become and that he plan to go back to Germany. I couldn’t convince him or find out the real reasons of his depressions.

Every day brings us new failures; during our job performances, in our life at home, on the streets while going to an important appointment, just to mention some of many examples. I am sure, my dear reader, you have your own example. Something is lacking, diminishing, deteriorating. We feel weakness because of other’s shortcomings. We describe it very fast and easy as bankruptcy of our life and give up ourselves in terrible selfpity.

This is an attempt to paint a portrait of an incredible man. I published this story many times before in printed media. It’s still one of my ideals.

As a businessman and politician he experienced his first bankruptcy, when he just reached the age of 31. At 32 he lost his election campaign, also at 32 his second business became a flop. 35 his wife died; at 36 he got a nervous breakdown. At the latest everybody would have understood if this man could do anything else than surrender himself.

An unknown life in an incalculable crowd could have been the last resort. But maybe because of all those strokes of fate did that man apply for another political position - and??? He lost again when he was 38. He suffered more defeats atthe ages of 43,46,48,55,56, and 58. But the loser never gave up - and finally he became the President of the United States of America. His name was Abraham Lincoln.

What a great example to show all of us that it is better to try and go “all 100 ways to success” instead of giving up after the “99th attempt”. If you know that you have knock at 100 doors (instead of 99!), and if you change 99 failures into 99 experiences, you might be the lucky guy who will receive the winning number of life’s lottery.

“Most people capitulate in the face of failures,” stressed the automobile manufacturer industrialist Henry Ford.  The author and art historian Aldous Huxley explained failures as follows: “Experience means how we survive by learnings from failures”.

Failures get results and help all of us to adjust and render more precisely our aim or goal. Romans 8:28 says,”And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who habe been called according to his purpose”.

Let’s learn from this.

I am sure many readers experienced the same. Your comments are very much appreciated. We only can learn from others. Also how to live and survive in the Philippines, once we made the decision to do so.

Related Posts:

Filipino Worries
Splendid Isolation
Miracles or Charlatanry?
The Sweet Temptation
The human scourge - or “Bahala na”
The Interdiction Society