SoCS: Practicing Imperfection with Delayed Gratitude

Today’s prompt for SOCS is; “practice/practise.” We get to use it any way we’d like and “Have fun!”

What we practice, we get better at. Whether it’s typing, dancing, thinking good thoughts, thinking negative thoughts, or not touching our faces, we get better at what we practice.

So what do you want to get better at? What do you want to practice?

I no longer like the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” I’ve let go of perfection. Mostly. Now and then, it rears its ugly head and tries to boss me around. But I’ve gotten better at telling perfection to go take a hike, because of practice.

When I was in first grade, I practiced cursive writing, because my teacher said I wasn’t good at it and needed better “penmanship.”  I remember her as a mean teacher with heavy eyebrow pencil. Maybe she was perfectionistic. But I practiced my penmanship, because I was into being obedient back then. Now I have very good penmanship when I want to.  Artistic even. My artistic skills come naturally. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m better than average at art. Not as good as I wanna be, but that’s where the practice comes in.

What if that mean teacher who criticized my cursive handwriting in first grade nudged me (unknowingly) in an artistic direction? My favorite art to do is flowy and curvy, like cursive writing. Well, I suppose I should thank her, though she’s probably long gone by now. Still, sigh, okay, Thank you, Miss Todd wherever you are. I think that was her name. Every teacher I can think of was easier than her after first grade.

My plan is to continue to practice physical social distancing even after restrictions are lifted. Oh, I’ll do some hugging, but no handshakes. I’ve always found handshakes to be awkward in varying degrees anyway. It’s weird going to the grocery store and watching people for distance, like a dance in reverse.

Plenty of lessons come from hard times. We don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to be anything. We don’t have to practice anything we don’t want to. But we can practice what we love and what is good for all of us if we choose. Be safe, be well. Practice compassion for yourself and others. It will get better.

Here’s some of my flowy, curvy art on upcycled wood:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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For more streams of consciousness flowing from the prompt of practice, visit Linda Hill:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/04/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-18-2020/

Here are the rules:
1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
8. Have fun!

 

 

A Superhero, Kids on a Plane, and a Cursive Writing Champ

I hope you enjoy these three good news stories involving children.

Four year old Austin is a superhero who helps the homeless with food and with lots of love. I think he’s going to run for president some day. He’s got my vote!

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This next story is about a man who helps out with children on a plane. Some people would ask to move to a different seat. But this guy jumps in to help with persistent patience.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mans-act-of-kindness-on-airplane-goes-viral-after-grateful-mom-posts-about-him/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=51561250

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And finally, nine year old Anaya Ellick who was born without hands, recently won another award for cursive handwriting.

 

Feel free to share your good news in the comments, be it personal, local, or global!

Knots Are Not My Strength, But With Perseverance…..

I’m not good at learning to tie knots. It’s the same with most things mechanical.

I remember training to be an outdoor adventure ropes course leader.  Along with climbing a 50 foot tower, and learning to belay a climber with ropes, we had to learn a few specific knots. A figure 8 on a bite, and a water knot are two I sort of remember. It was years ago.

The trainees stood in a half circle, around the trainer who demonstrated how to tie the knot. Everyone else seemed to pick it up quickly. But not me. I’ve learned that knot tying is one of those things I have to do over and over again, more times than the average person, to get it into my brain. You can show me over and over again, all for naught. I have to DO it myself over and over again to learn it.

I’ve accepted that learning knots and mechanical things are not my strengths. I do have other strengths, like singing, and art, and living within my means. We all have strengths and weaknesses.

But just because it’s hard for me to learn knots, doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I just have to work harder at some things. If its something I want to learn.

My first grade teacher said I had terrible hand writing. We were learning cursive, which, from what I’ve read, is not being taught anymore in school. That’s too bad, because cursive is so beautiful. Now, I have very good hand writing, when I want to. Is that because I practiced and practiced? Maybe. Maybe it just took time to develop this skill, because I wanted to, after I saw the beauty in it.

 

This week’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday was: “naught/knot/not.”  Use one, use ‘em all…  If you’d like to join in the fun, visit:

http://lindaghill.com/2015/03/27/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-2815/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” or “Begin with the word ‘The’.”

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments, for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. Have fun!