A Liberating Thought

Reading the book, The Art of Possibility, I came across a liberating thought, in the quoted words of a retiring US Supreme Court judge.

When asked what accomplishment he was the most proud of, he replied: "That I did the best I could with what I had."

As I read that, it occurred to me that most of us can say the same thing - that we have spent our lives doing the best we can with what we have.

My parents spent their lives doing the best they could with what they had - even if, at times, I didn't agree with them. The teachers I liked - and those I wasn't so fond of - were also probably doing the best they could with what they had. A lifetime of neighbors, friends and co-workers, too...

Time to cut them all some slack - and to forgive myself, as well. Rather than live with regret, I choose to accept that throughout my life, I simply did the best I could with whatever insight, patience, knowledge I had at any given moment. And I want to pass on the same acceptance - and forgiveness - to others whose lives have touched mine as well.