- watercolor by A.
Earlier this month, I set up my visiting teaching appointments but forgot to prepare the message. I did a quick skim of the magazine article I was to share and ran to the first appointment and taught a lovely lesson about women being guardians of the health of our families. We discussed ways we could help our families improve their emotional and physical health. I walked away feeling pretty good about the appointment.
But when I got home and set down the magazine on the counter, I finally noticed that the message was entitled, “Guardians of the HEARTH” (not health)! I was embarrassed and had a healthy laugh at myself. Apparently I need to be more involved in the details. Skimming isn’t adequate when it comes to important things. Some activities require deep, concerted, and detailed effort. And good job to those of you who saw my mistake before you read the second paragraph. Way to go, visiting teacher supreme!
I decided to read a book by Charles Dickins last week because he is a master of details. Each description is so rich and essential. I can’t skim through Dickins. It was a good exercise in focus. I also enjoy how he can moralize about the shady characters with sarcasm and characterize the good with idealism.
So hooray for effort in visiting teaching, flawed as it may be. And hooray for my first watercolor in years. And hooray for people such as Charles Dickins whose detailed efforts show me that I can navigate through experiences with humor and idealism.
In what areas of your life do you choose to be gentle in your self evaluations, while still maintaining an ideal for yourself? Tell me, dear reader. I am curious to hear your thoughts.
Cooking. I wish I could plan and cook a nice meal for my family every day and they would eat it. I am always in the kitchen, dealing with food and starving and impatient children, so everyone gets fed at least three times a day, though it is very repetitive and simple kid favorites. I hope that one day I can find joy in cooking. That I will dust off my recipe books. After all, I do already love to eat.
I know what you mean about cooking. It seemed like I was a short order cook when the kids were small, too. Some nights are still like that, but overall it seems easier to please teenage appetites and they can help themselves!