It is tempting to believe that perfect is the key to a successful future. At every , parents often focus on grades, as if a test score can measure a teenager’s whole . But during , it’s the moments when we —those wipeouts—that often teach us more than our successes do.
人们很容易相信，完美的学业成绩是通往成功未来的关键。 在每一次家长会，父母们常常关注分数，仿佛一次考试成绩就能衡量一个青少年的全部潜力。 但在青春期，正是我们跌倒的时刻——那些失败的经历——往往比成功教会我们更多。
I was reminded of this on , a time when many reflect on growth and renewal. A friend shared how she once failed a big exam in secondary school. At first, her was harsh: she blamed herself and worried about what her parents would say. It felt like a total . But that experience led her to try new ways to study—like in the morning to boost her focus, or joining a study group. She compares it to her first time : it was scary, uncomfortable, and she swallowed some water. But learning how to recover made her stronger both in and out of school.
在卫塞节那天，我再次想起了这一点，那是一个许多人反思成长与更新的时刻。 一位朋友分享了她中学时一次考试大失败的经历。 起初，她的分析很严厉：她责怪自己，并担心父母会怎么说。 那感觉就像一次彻底的失败。 但那次经历促使她尝试新的学习方法——比如早上做健美操来提高注意力，或者加入学习小组。 她把这比作自己第一次潜水：那很吓人，很不舒服，而且她还呛了几口水。 但学会如何恢复让她在学校内外都变得更强大。
To be clear, I am not suggesting we ignore academic performance. After all, effort and matter. But perhaps we should view wipeouts as part of growing up, not just moments to forget. Sometimes, the most important lessons only when we come up for air.
需要说明的是，我并不是建议我们忽视学业成绩。 毕竟，努力和坚持很重要。 但也许我们应该把失败看作成长的一部分，而不仅仅是需要忘记的时刻。 有时，最重要的教训只有在我们浮出水面换气时才会显现。
