Our two kids have this daily requirement where, for some reason, they must (it’s almost like a compulsion) spill their milk.
It doesn’t matter what cup we put it in. Or, how filled the cup is. Or, how far we move it away from their arms.
For some reason, they just spill it.
Every day.
So, rather than get frustrated like we used to, my wife and I have simply taught the girls how to clean up the milk that spills (wipe it first with a wet paper towel with a bit of soap, and then dry it). Then we pour them a bit more and encourage them to be careful.
Most of the time this works, and we don’t have any more spills for the day. But, sometimes, we go through multiple spills on a daily basis.
In life, there is much that we have to deal with that we don’t love. And often, many of those items or scenarios are repetitions of events that we are constantly working on with ourselves, or others, to make better. This requires time, patience, and a desire to find ways to solve the problem, rather than get frustrated.
While our process of “grin and bear it” and “Keep on trying” might not always be the easiest or most comfortable option, it may be a series of processes we need to engage in from time-to-time in order to move the needle in the direction we feel it needs to go.
Moving forward is never easy, and sometimes it means we bang our head against the wall a bit before we actually see the clear path forward. While we don’t want to do this often, it may be the best, and only, way to help make change.