Success by failure I had failed again. It was the day of the big marathon. I had decided three years ago to train for the half-marathon event and take home a medal. There I sat, in front of my TV, while I watched others cross the finish line. It was just another in a long string   of failures. I had never met a single weight loss or fitness goal and I was majoring in the art of failing. We are a family of exploration and often plan active vacations. It seemed that on every vacation I was the one who couldn't go the distance. Each time I urged   my family, "Go on without me. Bring me lots of pictures and videos. I'll be fine just sitting here taking in the view. " I lied. Sick of being left behind, I decided that it would never happen again. Sure I was in my 50s, but surely there was still hope for me. I always spent weeks walking to prepare for our active vacations. I had lost weight many times. I just always seemed to fail to get where I needed to be. But this time I would do something different. I was going to walk a half marathon. Surely 1 would lose weight and get in shape if I could complete over 12 miles in four hours. Besides, this would be training. Training sounded cooler than diet and exercise. _ and ready to go. I bought the proper gear   , checked out what type of drinks would be handed out at the marathon and prepared a lot. I had a plan! Now two years later, there I sat, watching thousands of people of all ages succeed where I had failed. I walked out, angry with myself, sat down and had myself a pity party. I was a master at the art of pity parties, having a great deal of experience in holding them. What was my problem? Where was I going wrong? I stopped and considered each failure, one by one. I made some very interesting discoveries. I had failed to climb to the top of that Mayan pyramid, but I did climb it and stood on those ancient stones. I had failed to meet a single weight loss goal and yet I had lost 43 pounds. I couldn't walk 12 miles in four hours, but I could walk 12 miles. All my failures were sounding like a success story. This time I was giving thanks. I was thankful that I had been given the spirit of failure because failure meant that I was trying, that I didn't give up. I decided that I would be crossing the finish line next year. Which words can best describe the writer in the passage?
Clever and friendly. Interesting and proud. Humorous and hopeful. Kind and strong - willed.