Back in March I attended a Jesse Cook concert with some friends.  I have never seen Jesse Cook in concert before and for those who don’t know who this is, he is a very talented guitarist focusing on flamenco, rumba and latin music.  Wow, can that man play a guitar!  I have never seen someone’s fingers and hands move so fast and with such precision!  At one point in the concert, he answered questions from the audience and someone asked him when he learned to play the guitar.  He said he started taking lessons at the age of six.  No wonder he is so good at what he does! 

I realized it was another example of how much time it takes to master something.  Even though he makes it look easy and he is inspiring to watch, he has definitely put in his time.  And he hasn’t stopped.  He continues to learn more about the music of other cultures so that he can weave it in with what he already knows.  One of the true marks of a master – someone who is already masterful yet continues to learn about and expand their craft.

It’s a good reminder for me as I lament my lack of washboard abs after 83 days of sit ups and push ups.  Apparently 5 minutes a day is not going to yield the immediate results I was hoping for!!  Despite the lack of a visible six pack, I am noticing that my posture is better.  I have also noticed how much I have been using other parts of my body to hold myself up because my core muscles have been so weak and underused.  It is going to take more than 100 days to fully retrain myself but this has been a magnificent start!  If I had started doing sit ups when I was six years old like Jesse started taking guitar lessons I might be a master at it by now too!  So take heart…even if you haven’t accomplished exactly what you wanted to in your 100 Day Challenge or in life in general, remember that little bits everyday will eventually pay off! 

Joyfully,

 Deb