In my old age, I have doubts about the “common idiom ... used for saying that if you repeat an activity or do it regularly, you will become very good at it.” — Stack Exchange
Take practicing the piano, for example, which I did again tonight. It’s OK to never again reach the comfort level I achieved as a teenager, or the amazing talent of my wife Kay, but I am disappointed nonetheless. Looking at my limitations in a positive light, I find joy in playing uplifting music with hope that proper practice eventually makes perfect. I’m actually getting pretty good at “Down by the Station” for beginners (“suggested prop: train whistle”), my choice for a summer recital with grandsons in the far West. My assignment: bring donuts.
Another example: practicing physical distancing (labeled “social distancing”, which I agree is opposite of what family and friends need to do socially during the pandemic) wisely shows a perfect example of caring for others at risk. No mask design is ideal for health, but wearing one according to accepted guidelines can be a perfect way to say, “I care.” As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf wrote, “Don’t mask your heart.” Use technology to stay socially close.
Practice writing stories about your life, and be pleased with how perfectly youngsters smile when reading or hearing them. When I was about ten years old, I was riding bareback on a stout pony named Smokey. (My father and uncle had recently purchased an old farm, and my summers were never the same after that!) No problem heading out to the field, but when I turned Smokey toward home, he took off galloping, eager to return (and get me off his back, I suppose). Now you can guess the rest of the story, as I tried to hang on for dear life. You’re right. The chance to practice falling taught me a perfect lesson about staying in control ... and living to tell about it.
