More thoughts on Work

My son is persistent. When he discovers he isn't good at something, he practices and practices until he has mastered it. Some examples:

-When he was learning to cruise, it bothered him that when he dropped at toy and bent to pick it up, he fell down. So he help onto the couch and practiced dropping and picking up his toy until he was a pro.

-He saw me put the pointy end of the nasal aspirator into a screwdriver hole in a peek-a-boo toy of his (Don't ask why I did this. I have no idea.). He thought it was pretty nifty though and practiced, practiced, practiced until he could consistently get the point in the hole.

-He has a favorite push toy. He wanted to go outside with it but there is a tiny bump where the door seals off that kept messing him up as he attempted to push it out. So he practiced over and over for at least 15 minutes to become an expert.

Now, he isn't persistent ALWAYS. Sometimes he just gives up and starts screaming, but on the whole he does a pretty great job. Think about all the many things a little child has to learn every day. It is complete overload! And yet they work, work, work on it and master it in the end. 

How often do some of us encounter something difficult and give up right away? I've had my share. This past weekend my abs and shoulders were hurting SO BAD from my attempts to get in shape for the Army Physical Fitness Test. On Saturday, I couldn't even do ONE sit-up! SO frustrating. I thought, I will never be able to do it. I gave my body a rest on Sunday and decide to give it a go again today. I was able to bust out 15! I still have to add 35 more onto that number, but I'll make it. 

Another wonderful adage by President Monson:

"Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it's a cinch."

Amen.