Losing is not good for the soul. Losing doesn't build character. And consistent losing certainly isn't conducive to a happy life.

Nonetheless, we lose all the time. That is, life isn't always what we want or expect. Adults have to deal with such setbacks. Almost every day.

Here inside the Beltway, the Washington Capitals are the only reason to pay attention to D.C. sports. The Wizards are young (and suck). The Redskins are arrogant (and suck). The Nats are young and injured (and suck). D.C. United just sucks. So that leaves the Caps, who may be young (one-fourth of the active roster usually consists of rookies), but they definitely don't suck. For the past couple of years, they've been expected to contend for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, they've blown out early in the playoffs each year.

But this year was going to be the year it all came together. And, in fits and starts back in November and October, it seemed that might be true. Just before Thanksgiving, however, the Caps lost three in a row for the first time this season. And then, after a 4-1 win in St. Louis on the first of December, the bottom dropped out.

Eight straight losses, including four in a row at home. Never mind that five of the losses were by one goal--including two that went to overtime. There were also two shutouts at home, including a 7-0 pasting by the Rangers (the Rangers? Aaargh!). And then, to add insult to injury, the first episode of HBO's four-part "Goin' to the Winter Classic" (or whatever it's called) appeared, complete with Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau making a lead appearance as the court vulgarian, finding a way to cram fifteen obscenities into a nineteen-second snippet of an intermission speech to the team.

Oy vey.

Now, I'm not worried about a cussing coach. If I was coaching the most talented team in the league and I'd watched them blow game after game, I'd cuss a bit myself. I would vary my word choice a bit more than Boudreau does (he seems excessively married to terms describing interpersonal conjugation and the parts used therein), but then, I have a journalism degree.

But despite my earlier statement about losing, I think this streak bodes well for the Caps's postseason chances. Last year, they had almost no difficulties during the regular season. One memorable Sunday afternoon in February, they turned a 4-2 deficit after two periods at Pittsburgh into a 5-4 overtime win. Almost effortlessly, it seemed.

And then the series all Caps fans remember. After taking a 3-1 lead on Montreal (the #8 seed), the Caps blew three straight and went home early again. They couldn't figure out how to work through difficulty. After all, they hadn't faced it during the regular season.

Well, this year they have had plenty. And they'll be ready when it comes in April and May.

How do I know this? Overcoming adversity is a practiced skill. This is true in life as in sports. All of Bill Clinton's signature moments came after the 1994 Republican landslide. He worked through his difficulties and ended up accomplishing a few things--even if it took another 18 years for gays and lesbians to be allowed to serve in the military.

Look at the current Prez. He had to scrape and bow to get health care reform passed, but after Republican electoral successes (though, importantly, before those new members are sworn in), he has crafted some of the more impressive successes of any recent presidency. I mean, it looks like he'll get a treaty approved. And getting 67 votes in the Senate for a treaty has been almost impossible for decades.

Life is a hard slog. But every once in a while something good happens. Like last night, when the Caps snapped that eight-game skid with a scrappy 3-2 win over a mediocre Ottawa team.

Take the time to smell the roses when they bloom, because soon enough you'll be cleaning the toilet again.

Oh, and remember that metaphors are best shaken, not stirred.

Jon Worley wins often enough.