Dear Friend,
Happy Autumnal Equinox! What are your plans for the day?
I’m going to watch the second half of an exciting baseball tournament. Yesterday’s two games had ‘edge of your seat’ scores, it should be a good game today, too. No matter the age of a competitor, playing the game is a time to apply everything learned in practice, the final score will decide a win or loss for the team and each player will have tested their own personal limits.
When is the last time you were tested?
Well, do you play a sport or two? If so, you are being tested every time you play or practice. You’re always trying to do better, get faster or stronger, play smarter; competition is just one type of test.
What about the Department of Motor Vehicles? Oh, they’ll test you… (sometimes just your patience)… but the DMV expects us to be able to pass written and driving tests to prove that we know the rules of the road and that we are competent drivers. (I’d love to hear the story of your first driving test)!
We might also get tested for medical reasons. A tread mill test can measure heart function, blood tests can determine what species we really are… (ha)… there are so many tests, I can’t list them all. Medicine is not a perfect science and practitioners are still practicing. The results of most medical tests are only sometimes conclusive and usually require more testing.
What about school and work? It goes without saying that we are tested all through school to measure what and if we’re learning. And certainly, employers give evaluations now and then to ensure that they have a competent work force, a team of warm-enough-bodies, at least.
But what about everyday life? Like when you are washing dishes, cleaning out your car … or you find the best deals at the store… or you get everyone to school and work on time and then to appointments, practices and home again… such balance, what skill!
Do you sometimes wish that someone would come along and give you some feedback on how you’re doing in life?
Maybe you crave constructive criticism about the way you fold laundry or organize your kitchen cupboards? What about the way you mow the lawn or prune the roses? Life as an adult expects you to operate Onward-Ho without gold stars and report cards. No pat on the back for having a clean bathroom, attaining excellent credit, preparing healthy meals, making good choices, keeping your toenails short … all of that’s just part of being an adult, I guess.
What do you think about tests? Do you enjoy such measurings of YOU?
Some people get very anxious when a test is on the horizon, I don’t mean to stress anyone out.
I just wanted to give a nod to real life accomplishments – tasks that you do on a daily basis or just when the task needs doing, but for these efforts, you don’t get recognition, trophies, certificates… and you don’t even get a bonus, promotion or a raise! Sometimes the results of all of your efforts go completely unnoticed.
Frank recently upgraded our truck suspension so that it will be better when pulling our recently acquired trailer. Here is a fun video that he put together.
Except for help from our hostess, Miss B the Queensland Heeler, Frank was able to complete the work himself. He then took the truck to test the alignment.
Here are the results of that test showing how close he came to having it aligned on his own:
I’m only showing this because it is pretty amazing and because it’s one of those needs-to-get-done things that Frank did himself and would otherwise go unnoticed. Way to go, Frankie!
Well, Friend, we hope that you are able to spend this first day of Autumn doing exactly the thing(s) that will bring you the most joy!
Please write if you would like to share stories of tests (driving, or otherwise) or just want to check in, we always appreciate your letters!
And before I sign off, I hope that you will consider this: You are extremely good at being you and the results of your efforts are beautiful!
Gently Be,
Leslie and Frank
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