Better Than It Was

It’s the time of year where we are caught between cleaning up Winter and preparing for Spring. Believe it or not but Georgia may have another freeze next week, and we will definitely have rain all weekend. So I spent some time trying to clean up a huge pile of leaves that didn’t get cleaned up. Unfortunately a portion of the pile was still wet and I couldn’t move it. So I moved what I could. The area isn’t ready for Spring, but it is better than it was.

As a doer, I had to accept that. I had to realize that better was good enough. I had to face the fact that I would be working one more day to get the rest of the leaves moved. It was a bit disappointing and frustrating because I wanted it over and done. But today that was not going to happen. I had to leave it better than it was, and leave the final work for another day.

As I was cleaning up the rest of the yard I thought about the lesson in being able to do what you can, then leave the rest for later. There is a satisfaction in getting it all done at the same time, yet some tasks and objectives in life take time. They take multiple attempts, or small steps, or maybe you even need help. When things take more than one try we learn patience, wisdom of knowing when enough is enough, and we learn that some things take time. The gift time gives is it encourages us to think, problem solve, maybe even come up with a better way to finish what was started. Time also reminds us that we can’t do everything all at once. Good things come to those who wait, which means leaving well enough alone to be completed on another day.

So a small pile of wet leaves taught me to be patient, to know when to stop and wait, and it reminded me that some things take more effort than one day can endure. So be content to leave it better than you found it, and tackle the rest another day.