And the wisdom to know the difference

 Recently during a casual conversation following a tasty dinner, my lovely wife was commenting on some small thing she had done by saying " I don't like that about myself".  In the next moment she looked at me and asked "Is there anything you don't like about yourself?" My immediate response was a chuckle, feeling as though the question were certainly rhetorical. I mean, of course there are things I don't like about me.  The questions I started silently asking myself were "which are things I can do something about" and "why the heck aren't I doing something about them?"

 When it comes to personal flaws, defects, and shortcomings, I've no dearth of material.  But short of involving a plastic surgeon,  I'll ignore such things as asymmetrical nostrils and one ear that sticks out more than the other.  And I'm just not going to the trouble of covering up the grey.  But what of the things that I could change without need of a health plan or medium brown hair dye?

 The first thing that comes to mind is impatience.  This would be a great one to tackle because I can and do aim this defect at both myself and others. I am quick to get down on myself when struggling with or confused by my circumstances.  On top of that, I can be far too time conscious and schedule driven and have little tolerance for others who are not similarly wired.  Looking back, I am saddened to realize that many roses that could have been smelled we're instead trampled along my hurried way.  Sadder still, I may well have deprived you of the rich aroma as well.

 Growing and improving as a husband, dad, friend, and self involves differentiating between those things I can and should work to improve and those that we'll all just have to live with.  It's not too late I think to slow down and ease up a bit on myself as well as those I'm tapping my foot waiting for.  Perhaps I should put on some music in those moments and give my foot a better reason to tap. Ironically, that music would likely be a selection by RUSH.

 . . . you just can't make this stuff up.