At the end of Parashat Noach we are told about what appears to be the very first failed aliyah (Bereishit 11:31-32):

לא ויקח תרח את אברם בנו ואת לוט בן הרן בן בנו ואת שרי כלתו אשת אברם בנו ויצאו אתם מאור כשדים ללכת ארצה כנען ויבאו עד חרן וישבו שם. לב ויהיו ימי-תרח חמש שנים ומאתים שנה וימת תרח בחרן.

31: And Terach took Avram, his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and he left with them from Oor-Kasdim to go to the land of Cana’an, and they came until Charan and they sat there. 32: And the days of Terach were two hundred and five years, and Terach died in Charan.

It seems so tragic – Terach left Oor Kasdim after (according to the midrashim) with the goal of coming to Cana’an. He took with him his Son and Grandson, both of whom were known as righteous people. But they fell short. Along the way, Terach came to Charan and did not continue on his journey. This is the least notable event his life. Nothing else is worth mentioning.

Avraham however is able to succeed where his father could not. In the very next passuk after Terach’s death Avraham is commanded to make aliyah. And here we are today. We all have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Terach (or maybe not even that – at least he tried) or in the footsteps of Avraham Avinu.