Experience

Experience happens to all of us.  It's a function of continued breathing.

Experience can make us smarter; but doesn't always.
Experience can increase our skills; but doesn't always.
Experience can heighten our senses; but doesn't always.
Experience can cause us to be wiser; but doesn't always.
Experience can nurture and enrich our relationships; but doesn't always.

To glean the "good" from experience a few conditions must exist:

1. We must be fully present to the experience.
2. We must reflect on what the experience means, or can mean, for us.
3. We must consciously choose to learn from that experience.

Experience, without the learning, is just breathing, barely.