Teacher’s Pet.

Over-achiever.

Perfectionist.

Ever had those words thrown in your direction or thrown them at yourself?  Yep.  Me, too.  I was the one in school who could not get a “B,” much less a “C.”  The thought of getting a “B” or “C” was cringe-worthy indeed.  I could not let good enough be good enough.  It had to be perfect or as close to it as possible!  That’s a lot of stress for things that really didn’t matter in the long run.  How I wish I had taken my Mama up on it when she said (on more than one occasion), “Just stay home today!  I’ll write you a note!”  (How many Moms say that???  She was a gem!  I’ll write more about her later.)  I wish I had understood that spending time with her would outweigh the Geometry or Physics or World History or…or…or….

In my last full-time job, a member of a group that counted as my supervisors had also been my 9th grade Geometry teacher.  I struggled with the concepts, but I worked my tail off at it.  When I mentioned in a meeting that I couldn’t just make do, I had to do all that I felt was necessary, I told her it was like when I took Geometry.  She asked me what I got – “An “A,” of course!  I couldn’t get less!”

Now, here I sit with so very many things before me.  Some things with eternal significance, others, not so much.  Today I choose my priorities and seek to let good enough be good enough and pour myself into what really, really matters.  And, as my mother would sing, “Let the rest of the world go by!”  So, really, who is going to come in and grade how clean my toilets are, or check the last time I swept/vacuumed or mopped (Heaven forbid anyone asks about that…does the dog spilling her water on the floor and me hastily wiping it up with a used towel count???  that’s using lemons for lemonade, right?) or grade how my laundry is folded…errr, I mean piled in the clothes basket (don’t judge – at least it’s clean!)?

May your good enough be good enough today, may you find significance in what really, really matters…make lemonade with your lemons and let the rest of the world go by.  🙂

Grace & Peace, Carrie!

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