At least not if it is of any value. Writing a book, for example, or maintaining a garden, or doing yoga.
Take yoga. I am supposed to be getting my cholesterol down and while I haven't done yoga or walked several miles or eaten only healthy food every day without fail for the last six months, I have improved my lifestyle. When I attempt the yoga (at least four mornings a week), I am sure I would make an excellent photographic subject or one of those old people birthday cards. What frustrates me is that I can't see much progress in my flexibility and yet if I skip a week or more--as when we toured the Southeast in February--I can easily see the regression. What's with that? It isn't easy.
I mention gardening because I took advantage of the first beautiful day in the last few weeks to work in the yard yesterday. And the recent rains have produced tropical-like growth. Of the plants, but also the weeds. So progress is very slow. Once I finally start, little by little the structure and plants become more defined and I find motivation to keep going. But it isn't easy.
And writing a book. It is very easy to get bogged down. When I'm not sure where it's going or how it's going to end, I have no problem putting it aside. You know, for a half hour or so. Maybe an hour. Or two. Waiting for inspiration. But, as Thomas Edison said, What it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration. So just like those weeds in the garden that seem so overwhelming, it takes plodding along one word at a time to bring that 1% inspiration. And it isn't easy.
Take yoga. I am supposed to be getting my cholesterol down and while I haven't done yoga or walked several miles or eaten only healthy food every day without fail for the last six months, I have improved my lifestyle. When I attempt the yoga (at least four mornings a week), I am sure I would make an excellent photographic subject or one of those old people birthday cards. What frustrates me is that I can't see much progress in my flexibility and yet if I skip a week or more--as when we toured the Southeast in February--I can easily see the regression. What's with that? It isn't easy.
I mention gardening because I took advantage of the first beautiful day in the last few weeks to work in the yard yesterday. And the recent rains have produced tropical-like growth. Of the plants, but also the weeds. So progress is very slow. Once I finally start, little by little the structure and plants become more defined and I find motivation to keep going. But it isn't easy.
And writing a book. It is very easy to get bogged down. When I'm not sure where it's going or how it's going to end, I have no problem putting it aside. You know, for a half hour or so. Maybe an hour. Or two. Waiting for inspiration. But, as Thomas Edison said, What it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration. So just like those weeds in the garden that seem so overwhelming, it takes plodding along one word at a time to bring that 1% inspiration. And it isn't easy.
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