I tend to obsessively push to get something done be it teach my kid to read or organize my closet or my schedule, believing that when the task is finished I'll be able to be done, stand back and have something to show for my efforts, enjoy them. I've learned that being this way can be really hard on people around you and not truly conducive to lasting growth, which never stops.
Friday is a good day for a musing, having completed another workaday week. This week we have tried to solve problems in different ways to be open to out-of-the-box solutions, within limits of course. I've been trying to slow down and look around, take stock of the situation and see if I can figure out how far we've come and where we're going, and if it isn't also possible to make the most of the journey for myself and others. We sometimes are so focused on where we want to be that we fail to appreciate where we are and where we are slowly going. If we've already figured some things out, we may throw up our hands when others just don't seem to get it, forgetting our own journey. If you can already solve a problem, how about helping someone else learn to solve it, rather than simply doing it for them?
How about observing, listening, thinking, not giving up on ourselves or others?
Evaluating and then evaluating again, just enough but not too much later, using the same standard? As strange and simple as this advice is, I've found it helpful. Sometimes the progress really can be surprising and it may have to do with drawing certain conclusions, being more motivated, understanding a system better, not merely performance.Wisdom is valuable, but also complex. A little more character, discipline, knowledge is an exciting thing, even though there's still a long way to go. It's about application and character not merely brains. If we can rejoice in small victories, take on small as well as big problems and be willing to let go of what isn't as important and recognize what is and not let go of it, we can aid ourselves in keeping our eyes on the light.