Some parts of a journey are downhill, with a light breeze at our backs. Some are uphill, over a rocky path and with the sun beating down on our sweltering heads, the empty rattle of the canteen reminding us that we should have packed more water.
I’m being overly dramatic.
I’m not on a life-threatening hike. I’m merely trying to:
- Re-publish Prince Tarkten
- Update and re-publish Sweet Baby Lover
- Record Sweet Baby Lover
- Write a novel
- Keep these weekend reflections going, along with their audio version
Every item on the list is either at a do-over stage, or taking longer than I think it should stage, or in a place where I don’t know what comes next.
But looking at the list, there’s something that’s not on it, something that’s going well: prepping to teach the University of Cincinnati Diversity & Inclusion class this fall. Because this is the 4th year I’m teaching it, and because I’m not converting an instructor-led plan to remote or vice versa, it’s going quickly, smoothly. It’s a downhill saunter on a lovely day.
Funny (or not funny) that I’ve been noticing what isn’t going well and ignoring what is.
As for the stuff that’s taking ‘longer than it should’—where did my idea of should come from? Does a third grader say to their parent, “It’s taking me too long to get through school?”
All of it will take the time it takes. I’m learning. And as Theodore Roethke wrote,
“I learn by going where I have to go.”
Chewing the Cud of Good
Thankful for the ongoing opportunity to learn.