When I was in the ninth grade, I was a part of the varsity cheerleading squad. It wasn't a happy experience.

While I was quite agile, which is the reason I made the team, I did not fit in socially. I was shy and much more of a tomboy than a beauty queen type. I generally sat by myself on the team bus, going to games and going home.

We cheered for the boys' soccer and basketball teams.  

Nonetheless, I stuck with it. I enjoyed being able to wear our uniforms to school on days with games.  And got a lot of use out of the saddle shoes in high school! 

With that experience, I appreciate Winston Churchill's quote that "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it's the courage to continue that counts."

My favorite cheer?

S - U - C - C - E - S - S!
(Stomp, Clap, Clap)
That's the way we spell SUCCESS!

So here's to perspective and the power of tenacity.