Yesterday I was talking to my sister-in-law Jen about my plans for college and why I decided to delay entry for another year. I explained about my plans for The Daily Prophet, a TV show I just sent off a proposal for that I’m quite optimistic about, and the importance of trying to make these crazy plans work while I still have the security of youth, optimism, and free room and board.

She looked at me very seriously and said, “Heather, you will either be a great success, or a great failure. Nothing in between.”

As soon as she said it, I knew I was okay with that. It wasn’t until last night that I figured out why that statement was met within me by such a great sense of peace and acceptance. Why? Because no matter what happens from here on out, my life can never be quantified as a failure.

To me, no success is a true success until one simple thing has been accomplished: charity. Have you, in your endeavors throughout life, ever made anyone else’s life more fulfilling? Have you ever lightened someone else’s load? Have you ever taught another human being? Have you ever instilled in someone else’s soul the importance of beauty, knowledge, and love? Have you ever opened someone else’s eyes to a point of view, one previously foriegn to them? Has anyone ever cried on your shoulder? Were you able to comfort them? Were you able to make anyone happy, truly happy, even just for a moment? Have you ever opened yourself up to another person emotionally, made yourself vulnerable, simply so that person would know that they aren’t alone?

I don’t think I’ll ever be a failure, because already at the age of 19, I can say yes in all honesty to all of those questions. I could die tomorrow and know that by me being here on Earth, I’ve helped someone. I’ve helped someone in significant ways. I’ve tutored nearly 400 children, but that isn’t what I’m most proud of. Apart from just teaching children how to read and write, I’ve also mentored many of them on an emotional level. I’ve been so important to some of them that still, to this day, they call me “Mommy”. Everything after that, anything else I accomplish in this life, it’s just icing on an already beautiful cake.

Sure, some things haven’t worked out. Some projects didn’t come to fruition. But I expect that, I know not everything I start will finish. That’s life, but not failure. I’ve still learned things from every project that didn’t end up the way I thought it would.

I actually tried to write this blog entry last night, but couldn’t organize my thoughts well enough to pull it all together. Tonight, though, I was watching a great old Frank Capra movie, and as I listened to Gary Cooper deliver a speech as John Doe, I realized that there are many ways that people can avoid failure by helping others. Frank Capra, for example, made films that have inspired generations. He left a lasting impression on so many people, including myself. His one voice will be heard for hundreds of years to come, and even though this particular film was made in 1941, it is hauntingly pertinent to the events of today.

If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to end with a few passages from that speech. It’s about avoiding failure, serving others, and how to overcome the major obstacle most people face when they consider their ability to help the world: their own feelings of inadequacy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am the man you all know as John Doe. I took that name because it seems to describe the average man, and that’s me… If anybody should ask you what the average John Doe is like, you couldn’t tell him, because he’s a million and one things. He’s Mr. Big, and Mr. Small; he’s simple and he’s wise; he’s inherently honest, but he’s got a streak of larceny in his heart… He’s the man the ads are written for, he’s the fellow everybody sells things to, he’s Joe Dokes, the world’s greatest stooge, and the world’s greatest strength. Yes sir, we’re a great family, the John Does. We’re the meek who are supposed to inherit the earth.

“We’ve existed since time began, we built the pyramids, we saw Christ crucified, pulled the oars for Roman emperors, sailed the boats for Columbus, retreated from Moscow with Napoleon, and froze with Washington at Valley Forge. Yes sir, we’ve been in there dodging left hooks since before history began to walk. In our struggle for freedom, we’ve hit the canvas many a time, but we always bounce back, because we’re the people, and we’re tough. They’ve started a lot of talk about free people going soft, that we can’t take it. That’s a lot of hooey! A free people can beat the world at anything, from war to tiddlywinks, if we all pull in the same direction.

“I know a lot of you are saying, ‘What can I do? I’m just a little punk, I don’t count.’ Well, you’re dead wrong, the little punks have always counted, because in the long run, the character of a country is the sum total of the character of its little punks. But we’ve all got to get in there and pitch, we can’t win the old ball game unless we have teamwork. And that’s where every John Doe comes in. It’s up to him to get together with his teammate, and your teammate, my friend, is the guy next door to you. Your neighbor, he’s a terribly important guy, that guy next door. You’re going to need him, and he’s going to need you, so look him up. If he’s sick, call on him; if he’s hungry, feed him; if he’s out of a job, find him one. To most of you, your neighbor is a stranger, a guy with a barkin’ dog and a high fence around him. Now you can’t be a stranger to any guy that’s on your own team. So tear down the fence that separates you! Tear down the fence and you’ll tear down a lot of hates and prejudices. Tear down all the fences in the country, and you’ll really have teamwork!

“I know a lot of you are saying to yourselves, he’s asking for a miracle to happen, he’s expecting people to change all of a sudden. Well, you’re wrong! It’s no miracle, it’s no miracle because I see it happen once every year, and so do you. At Christmas time. There’s something swell about the spirit of Christmas, to see what it does to people, all kinds of people. Now why can’t that spirit, that same warm Christmas spirit, last the whole year ’round? Gosh, if it ever did, if each and every John Doe would make that spirit last 365 days out of the year, we’d develop such a strength, we’d create such a tidal wave of good will, that no human force could stand against it. Yes sir, my friends, the meek can only inherit the earth when the John Does start loving their neighbors. You’d better start right now. Don’t wait until the game is called on account of darkness. Wake up, John Doe, you’re the hope of the world.”