Dear Friends …

God has been my rock, faith my sustenance. But they both require action.

The following quote from Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, has always been one of my favorites:

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

I have found comfort over the years in knowing that I didn’t have to be the most talented or the most educated person to get the job done. It is progressively clear to me, though, that persistence develops talent and spurs learning. It uncovers the genius in each of us.

Persistence is more than determination and resolve. It is work. It is the effort that must be rewarded. It is the practice that makes perfect.

Persistence is not merely hanging in there long enough. It is learning what creates the desired result — often after learning what does not. It is honing your skill and refining your love. It is believing that you can make a difference. It is trusting the outcome.

And, ultimately, persistence is satisfying that yearning — whatever it is. It is singing your heart out and getting a standing ovation of hearts. It is drawing a check for what you love. It is knowing oneness and autonomy with your prince or princess.

Let us, then, press on!