I’m sure that you’re familiar with the fable of The Tortoise and the Hare. The slow, steady turtle wins the race against the speedy yet distracted rabbit. I really try to remind myself of this as I raise my dear Ariana.

To say that I am a Type A personality is an understatement. I thrive on competition and despise inefficiency. And so I often ask myself how my own flesh and blood could be so unlike me.

Homework assignments that should be completed in 15 minutes take over an hour. And it’s not like she’s not smart. She gets it. She just seems to enjoy the journey more than the destination. Admirable, in theory, but not in practice. At least not for me.

And so rather than go into the room yet another time to try and light a fire under her, I type.

And I press the keys HARD.

And I move my fingers FAST.

And I take DEEP breaths.

And I press my lips SHUT so that I don’t say the wrong thing . . . something that I will regret after the hustle of the bustle of the day is past . . . and she is sleeping sweetly in her bed . . . and I am left to my thoughts . . . engaged in a GE Six Sigma Black Belt plus/delta session in my mind.

GOD, grant me the
Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change
Courage
to change the
things I can
and the
Wisdom
to know the difference.