To Be Young, Beautiful and Free

Raise your hand if you have ever been told, "You suck!" a million times in a row with hundreds of strangers rising to their feet, cupping their mouths, chanting and pointing at you. I didn't think so.

"You suck, Chester!"

My first pierogi race last Wednesday was a disaster. Leaning over the railings were the angry, scornful faces of men, women and children screaming obscenities and insults because I was way behind the other 'rogies.

Apparently, since the Pirates were losing, fans looked to their favorite pierogi to bring them victory.

I glared up at them through the giant eyeballs of the costume, one of the shoulder straps searing into my neck. I wanted to give them "the finger," but I only had four.

Even worse circumstances awaited me after the race. If a pierogi does not make it to the finish line in under a minute, he or she will be cut on the spot. I ran 5 seconds over the limit. When I returned to the changing rooms, director Dan informed me of my inadequate time and the inflexible MLB policy. I was disappointed and fearful that I would lose my job.

Even though it was just a pierogi race, it was the principle of it that upset me; I do not like to fail. I pleaded with Dan to give me another chance and asked him to fire me if I failed to meet the requirements during my next race at Sunday's game. While he graciously agreed to my proposition, deep down inside I was afraid to try again.

I glumly propped Cheese Chester's fat head on the stand. As I massaged the hickey-like burn that he had left on my neck, it made me wonder, why does failure cause self doubt?

A great amount of our self- esteem depends on the amount of success we achieve in our lives. This is why failure is so personal; it rattles our confidence and wounds our pride.

In competing for jobs, higher positions and even love, the outcome may not always be what we expected. We may spend weeks, months, years or our entire lives working toward a goal; but, despite our time and energy, we may fail again and again on the way.

Instead of giving up, we should see failure as a sign to make improvements or to try a different approach. If we truly want to attain a goal, we must whole-heartedly believe in our capabilities, but also be willing to learn and grow from our setbacks.

On Sunday, I prepared for the race with a longer warm up. I ran a 40-minute jog to get into my stride, and I did additional stretches to loosen up my legs. I was nervous, but I was determined not to let one race be the end of my 'rogie-running days.

This game, I chose to be Jalapeno Hannah, hoping that her big green purse and matching shoes would empower me. I got off to a good start and managed to keep up with my male competitors. I came in last again, but this time I was so close behind the others that there was no way that I had surpassed 60 seconds.

"Wow!" Dan said with the same look of surprise that he had at the tryout. "You sped through that race. I think you knocked off 10 seconds, if not more, in one race!"

My failure in the first match does not come close to the magnitude of disappointments I will undoubtedly encounter later in life.

Nevertheless, no matter how minor or significant a pursuit may be, we must be confident and tactful. Self-doubt will not serve us well in any job. I must have the self confidence to rise to the challenge.

We all possess great talents and unique abilities. Each individual is equipped to contribute to the world in different ways. Whether you want to be the editor of TIME magazine, a principal dancer with River North or the next Steven Spielberg, do not let setbacks deter you from achieving your goals.

When I have achieved my own ultimate ambition, I hope that if someone were to ask me what the key to my success was, I will be able to say that I got up every time I fell down.

For our graduating seniors and for those who dream big and work hard, remember: "Failure does not happen to the man or woman who refuses to quit."