Patient persistence

My motto right now is “one meal at a time.”

I’m a new mom with an infant who eats about ten times a day, and I’m finding that navigating the landscape of early parenthood is best done by focusing on the present moment—or at most, the immediate future, aka the next meal. If I look too far ahead, I am easily overwhelmed.

That’s why, this #thankyouthursday, I am grateful for patient persistence. I know that if I keep breathing deep and showing up, what needs to happen will happen.

And of course the act of calmly continuing, again and again, is important beyond parenting.

Seeking and achieving social justice is a marathon, not a sprint.

So while I am heartened to see the Black Lives Matter movement getting the increased attention it has long deserved, and while I am deeply appreciative of every encouraging stride forward, I am also aware that we have much work to do.

And with patient persistence, we can do our work—one educational experience at a time, one personal reflection at a time, one challenging conversation at a time, one voter registration at a time, one financial contribution at a time, one call to your elected officials at a time, one act of kindness at a time, one election at a time, and on and on and on.

There is so much that needs to be done—so many meals in a day, all necessary for growth.

I am sometimes troubled by a sense that “I should be doing more.” But there is only so much one person can do. So I’m doing what I can with patient persistence, and I’m counting on others to do their best too.

How about you?

Love > fear,
Christina

p.s. Want to know what you, specifically, can do to help dismantle systemic racism and white supremacy? Well, I can’t tell you—that’s a personal choice. But I’d be happy to listen to your thoughts and to share my own experience and suggestions. Hit reply and let me know what’s on your mind!