the mystery of mastery

There was a time when you could not walk and then you learned how. There was a time when you could not speak, and then you learned how. There was a time when you did not know how to kiss someone, and then you learned how. And, it’s funny; after you do know how, after a while, you forget that you ever struggled. Now that you’ve been driving for years, you don’t think about starting the car, engaging the clutch, stepping on the gas, seamlessly shifting off the clutch and into gear and driving uphill. Oh, sure! You have the stories to tell about when you learned this or that, but now that you know you can’t un-know. You have mastered the yoga pose, the quadratic equation, the recipe for sauce.

When you were first trying or learning something, maybe it frightened you or intimidated you. Maybe you admired or envied people who were really good at what you were trying to do. Or you strived to emulate them. But eventually, you mastered it, too. And you abandoned the anxiety, the self-judgment, the fear of not knowing. You do it without thinking through the steps. You simply know what you are doing.

And then, the next new thing comes along that you have to master. The next new job. The new puppy or baby. The new significant other. The new city, the update, the break-up. The sudden realization, the game. Getting older. The loss. The new diagnosis. The new day.

We are always being challenged by what is new to us. When you are presented with such a challenge, see it as an opportunity to learn. Be mindful that there was a time when you did not know how to do everything you now do with ease. Remember that every turning point has always been and still is an opportunity to accept or reject, to excel or get by, to do things your way.

Life is about mastery and being mindful that there will always be another challenge to master.

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4/7/2025