16 July 2010

The Joy of Mastery



Each vacation that my husband and I share with our daughter and 2 grandchildren has been a time for our grandchildren to master some new skill. I like having a role in that. This year our grandson is almost 8 and our granddaughter 4 1/2. He's working on his surfing and distance biking and she her diving and swimming. I watch as they overcome their fears, get bolder as they hone their skills, and practice over and over until they're competent. Their exhilaration and sheer joy is both the outcome and the only necessary reward. Surely that's a life lesson for us all.

5 comments:

  1. It's amazing, is it not? To watch the mastery happen. And you KNOW it'll happen!

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  2. I am always amazed when I see athletes doing their thing, some of it including physical feats that seem impossible for the human body to achieve. And I always imagine what it took for them to reach that level of competence.

    This is where it starts.

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  3. We're working on trampoline back-flips. It's terrifying!

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  4. Fun to watch them grow, uh? And esp. to be a part of it!

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  5. They are an inspiration! feel the fear, and just go for it any way!

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