For all that we speak
as a culture and a people,
of victory and defeat,
of good and evil,
of hero and coward,
it is none of it quite true.
The truth is that the greatest
victory is to endure with grace
and humor, to stay in the game,
to achieve humility.
- Brian Doyle,
One Long River of Song:
Notes on Wonder
(tip of the hat to Brendan Leonard's most recent post on his always excellent website)