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Persistent Application



I have been absent for a month because we have been in the throes of finding a new place to live and moving.  We are now moved and unpacked.  That doesn't mean everything has a permanent niche, it means everything is out of boxes.  I am getting used to the house, the neighborhood and the changes in my life. 

There have been setbacks and mishaps, to which I have responded by going 100 mph all day every day.  The result is a lack of attention and focus.  Two days ago, I spilled coffee on and stained the dining room carpet. 

I checked my Mary Ellen helpful household hints and then I mopped and blotted for all I was worth.  I thought the stain was gone only to discover when I woke up yesterday it was still there.  So I mopped, scrubbed, and blotted again.  It looked pretty good and I thought it was gone.  

Alas, this morning I stepped into the dining room and argh!  It is still there.  A little fainter, a little smaller, but there.  I repeat the process of mopping, scrubbing, and blotting using less detergent and more vinegar.  I wait until it dries and ….

Damn the spot is still there.  As I continue the process of scrub, blot and repeat it occurs to me that this coffee stain is like any other challenge in my life.  It is a little less dramatic than some like health concerns and a little more of a problem than a hangnail, but the same procedure is required for all.  

Whether I am trying to find us a place to live, moving us to the new place, trying to break a destructive habit, overcoming negative thinking, or establishing new routines persistent application of the corresponding remedy is necessary.

And just like with the stain, when I apply the solution to the problem, the problem grows fainter and smaller.  It is a poignant metaphor for me right now as I feel challenged on a daily basis to practice patience.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  And the repetition of the action is what gets results.  Few things are resolved like a tv show in 42 minutes. 

Having this example gives me renewed energy to pick up the pen and write this blog, to keep looking for a place to put the winter clothes, to continue meditating even when I cannot focus and to keep asking for help to solve the problems that are beyond my ken.  So, out damn spot indeed and thanks for being there.
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