Making Good Progress--a Brief Progress Report

This morning as I was walking across the Hollywood Boulevard bridge, I looked down and saw a woman jogging with her dog.  When I saw her at an intersection about 15 minutes later, I said, "Hey, you've made good progress."

I had a sudden realization--if she's made good progress, so have I.

I realize the lesson here.  I often can see the progress that others have made, while at the same time beating myself up for making similar progress.  Of course, I don't see it as similar.  I'm willing to give others lots of credit for effort, but I rarely extend the same congratulations to myself.

I'm also seeing a side of myself that makes me unhappy--I'm getting increasingly frustrated with others, too.  On my best days, I am always aware that people are doing the best they can, and I'm looking for ways to help them with that.  Lately, I confess, my crankiness has diminished my capacity for giving everyone the benefit of the doubt.

Let me be gracious to myself.  Let me remember all that I am getting done, in this time that no one prepared me for in terms of schooling and training.  I need to repeat this mantra at work especially.

In terms of my creative life, let me also be gentle with myself.  While I'm not writing traditional poems, the way I once did, I am doing interesting work, especially with the intersection of poetry, parable, and theology--in a video format, which is new for me and exciting.  While my novel languishes, I do think about it here and there.

I know that in the past I've had times when I'm not putting words on paper, a creative burst is just up ahead, if I don't give up, if I'm patient with myself.

Let me be patient with myself and with everyone else.