"If we don't try, then we won't do, and if we don't do, then we'll never know." I'm not sure if that's a direct quote but that's what sticks in my mind from counsel that Pres. Monson gave the world a few conferences ago. I love to try, and because I have such an understanding and incredible wife and the love and confidence of my kids I get to try a lot of things.
And I usually am blessed with the time, energy, and tenacity to put in the all nighters and just get'r done. But sometimes, it's just not enough. I had a just not enough moment today when I sat down with my thesis advisor and mentor to discuss my initial hack at my thesis. I thought it was pretty good. He though it was a pretty good effort. Oops. I prayed long and hard for a soft heart going into the discussion and was blessed, but the sting, the sting of almost is a pretty foreign concept in my brain. I'm usually wired pretty tight, but this time, nope. Afterwards I felt exhausted. I mustered the will to hit the bricks on a run and was fortunate enough to spend most of my run on the sand of Monterey Bay. As I walked I felt the frustration and embarassment of coming up short go farther out with every set of waves. In mortality, sometimes, it's an almost. That's what the atonement is for, that's why we need the gap-filling power of grace. While I still don't like coming up short, I was taught by the Spirit that coming up short is part of what life is about, and sometimes, the lessons we need to learn come by "almost" experiences, and not just success and failure. The key, to life and "almosts" is perspective. If we've got an eternal perspective, fueled by faith in Christ and faith in self, almost is just another chance to shine in a different or more expansive way, mentally, physically, or spiritually.