i stand up i fall down i stand up again

we all love beckett's war cry on failure: next time fail better. i love it. every person on earth must contend with failure. despite a few heroes on old-fashioned movies and television programs who seem perfect at every turn, like the fonz, we all must fail. it's part of the job description of being alive.

the past couple of days i've been running this little piece from thoreau in my head. i have my problems with thoreau. yet i admire the hard clarity that comes from parts of his writing. this remembered bit is taken from thoreau's book walden which in turn is taken from a chinese text thoreau quotes. this little piece of language is providing a measure of comfort as i stumble forth.

a messenger arrives. i ask him to give me news of his master. the messenger replies, 'my master endeavours to reduce the number of his faults but alas despairs he cannot come to the end of them.'