Starting in the Corners

My mom with two of my children

As parents we watch our children learn and grow. As infants they depend on us for almost everything they need. We feed, clothe, protect and teach them all that we can so that they can enjoy a rich and full life.  We tend to recall those years with incredible fondness.  Curiously that fondness seems to grow as the years go by.

In those early days and first few years we mark and celebrate the milestones.  That first smile, even if it was just gas, imprints in our mind's eye.  We celebrate or mourn those first steps depending on whether we were there to see them.  We blissfully enjoy the renewed rest as they finally sleep through the night.  And what parent doesn't rejoice at the moment a child can serve herself at a buffet?

Through all of these milestone moments our children gradually become the people they will be.  But development is never even nor perfect.  There are always flaws and mistakes. But as parents to our children we encourage them to get up and try again.  We know that failure only becomes permanent when we stop trying.

But despite our best efforts they grow and develop flaws.  And no one perceives flaws like the person who owns them.  Sometimes we are so clever that we hide them from ourselves.  Other challenges cause us to shrink from opportunities and not even try.  On other occasions we take those chinks and we turn them into our greatest strengths.

My mother taught me how to sweep and mop a floor when I was a boy. Once I swept the floor and thought I had done a good job.   But when I got to the mopping I found small bits of dust and crumbs and occasional bigger items that I had missed.  After letting the floor dry she taught me a very powerful lesson.

She had me start in all of the corners.  She made sure that

Get under the table

I got right up to the baseboards next to the wall and under the counters.  Any time I got next to a table or a chair, I made sure that I moved them to get the little items that like to hide next to and sneak under the legs.  I learned that in sweeping sometimes you have to make more than one pass to get all of the dirt.  And when you mop, you do the same thing.  Make sure you start in the corners where little things like to hide.  When you are done, you can be sure of a good and clean floor.

How many miles?

How do you see your weaknesses?  Do they lie hidden or do you just accept them because that's the way you are?  If so, let me just say what I hope you were told as a child.  Get up and try again.  Start in the corners.  There are mile markers that are just waiting for you to arrive.

So get going.

If you start in the corners you'll reach that milestone.