“Do or don’t do, there is no try.” Yoda
From Rules, “ So do it. ‘One of these days’… is probably never. Discipline with your possessions can translate into discipline in other areas of your life. Habits take time. A new way may seem awkward at first, then not so bad, and before you know it, you’re a convert. Quit sabotaging yourself. What decisions are you avoiding and at what cost?”
The Age of Corona has changed how we think about “One of these days”. Early on, we were full of good intentions. That put a pep in our step. The virus created a pandemic of bread-baking. Count me in as a C student. I was also going to memorize several Bach minuets, relearn some French, clean up my inbox and finish some knitting. I have tried. And I have not done. And that’s ok. Our ambitions can be bigger than our accomplishments. Not everything we think we need to do actually needs to be done.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. But I’m counting on this black tiled lane leading me elsewhere. I’m swimming to a friend’s farm fifty miles from my house for a roundtrip of 100. I’m on the way home and on pace to “do” by summer’s end. I’ll let you know if I tried or did.
To paraphrase Lao Tzu, “A journey of a hundred miles begins with a single lap.”
Who knows, maybe I’ll clean out my undisciplined inbox when I get home. but for now, that does feel like the road to hell.