“Turning auto-pilot on for GOOD today. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
You know what you should do.
Don’t Lament past short-coming. Make your list. Do each thing on that list. If you get sidetracked, realign and continue with the list.
Focus.
Perseverance.
Resolve.
Toward the GOOD. It’s out there. Find it.
Lots of context for this concept. You might be “at capacity” in any of a variety of ways.
At capacity in learning, a sort of plateau of absorbing new things;
At capacity with activities, not able to fit another event on your schedule on a given day;
At capacity in repetitions, not able to do another pull up or arm curl or plank;
At capacity with projects, every day already full with no room for another thing;
At capacity eating your vegetables at dinner; this affliction happens on nearly a nightly basis at my house.
You get the idea. But here’s the thing.
Capacity is a dynamic quality. It’s a parameter that must always be considered. Capacity might be limiting in the immediate, in the short term.
But in the aggregate, it’s just another variable that must be considered in striving for optimal outcome.
You should always consider capacity, and you should also test its limits. Carefully, thoughtfully, but for sure, test, push, strive to expand the limit.
The outcome?
It will make you better. It will help you reach your goals. It will make things GOOD.
A simple word, “grace”.
It carries so much varied meaning.
It was my paternal grandmother’s first name. It is my first daughter’s middle name.
The dictionary refers to it this way, in part:
“elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action; or,
the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.”
Why do I bring it up today? There’s been a lot of grace in my life. I might say in fact, the whole of my life has been marked by grace; then again, that wouldn’t be a surprise, given that I’m a believer and my general attitude toward life.
But…these last few days, I feel like lots of grace has been bestowed on me…like,
at work, some break-through insights on basic operations that help me to keep the train rolling in the right direction…like,
confidence and respect expressed toward me to get the job done…like,
time with my extended family, connecting and understanding their situations, their challenges, their joys…like,
time with my wife that’s been nothing special, except that it’s felt founded on love, and simple appreciation, and a reminder over and over that it’s a massive, daily blessing that we are together…like,
time with our three kids, soaking up their personalities, their realities, their joy…like,
appreciation shared with old co-workers, love shared, really, and good times, and happiness…like,
gratitude for sage mentors and peer colleagues that together provide foundation and lessons and guidance and insight more valuable than I can put to words…like,
the sense that it’s all going to work out.
It carries much varied meaning, the word “grace”; and my life is full of it. AMEN.
I beg of you, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from you, and you from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of your sight, your control, your reprehension;
of your speech and conversation,
of your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing you,
hearing, tasting, savoring, and touching you;
fearing and being mindful of you;
knowing, trusting, loving, and possessing you;
being conscious of your presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying you.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from you. Amen.
—Saint Peter Faber, SJ
