My sister-in-law is in town again for a few days. She’s here to help my mother-in-law start the process of going through their things in the house and packing up what can be packed to move. The builder says their new house might be done by Christmas, but that would be a stretch. I was relieved to hear that. Originally they were thinking things might be done around Thanksgiving and she could be moved in by Christmas. Those already busier holiday weeks just seemed like a terrible time to try to move.

I thought a little bit more about the question I’d been asking regarding why I can’t ever seem to get it completely right. Basically what it all boils down to is that we have to have things that are keeping us humble. If I got everything right all time I’d be prideful. Do I wish I had the kind of brilliant, jaw-dropping verbal mastery and intelligence of people like Jordan Peterson or C.S. Lewis? Yes, I do and I think that’s pretty normal.

But it isn’t even that. Or rather it isn’t even only that. I was thinking about my grades desires and what that’s all about. I want to be smart. I want something I can hold up and show my husband and kids and say, “Hey, I actually am not a dummy.” But I also guarantee that absolutely no one on their death bed is ever saying to anyone, “Somewhere in a drawer is my report card…” Here is what I actually want, and believe always I have: “Hey, if you can do that, great, but ultimately? That isn’t what I love about you.”