(reposted 3/21/04 to make corrections)

How often have we each at one time or another got upset with ourselves over not being able to learn a new thing on this computer....     Yet, while I may not have learned it instantly the first time I tried it... I did learn it.   But I still felt I had to throw a fit about how many times I had to 'try' before I got it.    It made me mad that it was 'confusing' to my brain, that I didn't 'get it' right away.   Watching Ethan this weekend,  I was reminded how each new thing he learns is met with just stubborn persistence... and not a bit of self loathing... or whining...or crying... "it's too hard... I'm too dumb.... I'll never get it.... I'm just not smart enough....."       No one told him he couldn't walk.    And it took a lot of failed attempts... before he finally 'clicked' in his head and got the message to the rest of his body about just what was required for him to do it.... and just took off doing it one day.   I don't remember ever seeing him cry about not being able to walk.   I don't remember ever seeing him pout about how hard it was to learn.   I don't remember ever seeing him get mad about how many times he fell down.   He just kept getting back up and trying again... or he'd just take off crawling instead.   Either way,  he was okay with himself.   And still smiled at life in the midst of his failures and difficulties.    Maybe we should be more like that in our senior years too.    New things won't always come quickly or easily to us.... and some new things, for whatever reason, just may not come at all.    So what?    "We"  are still 'okay'...no matter how long it may take us to learn some things.   If Ethan can keep smiling everytime he falls down.... so can we.   Why not?   Frowning about it doesn't really help anyway....lol.   Feeling bad about ourselves won't change anything.... so why not feel good about ourselves....even if we can't do some things....or learn at super lightening speed.   It really, really doesn't matter does it..      So....  Next time this computer, or some other new challenge tempts us to feel frustrated, angry, or even bad about ourselves.... lets just remember the mind of a child... and smile, and just try again... no matter how many times it may take to learn it.     Stubborn persistence....  with a smile.      Hugs,  Grace