Progress

Every day, my WordPress app keeps track of how many likes I got on that specific day.

Yesterday, I got this notification:

Nine.

Seems like such a small number.

But it’s not.

When we set a goal for ourselves, we sometimes aim high and infinitely far. We want to get an PhD when we haven’t even started high school. We want to have two or three kids nefore we even know how kids are born. We select the car we want to drive for life when we don’t even have a license.

We love to make plans for a million years away, often forgetting about three important days: yesterday, today, tomorrow.

What did I have yesterday?

What do I have today?

What do I want tomorrow?

Not what happened ten years ago or what will happen in fifty…

I’m a firm believer in letting the teachings of the past guide us and planning for the future as much as is allowable. But I am also stubborn about living in the moment.

I feel it’s important to guage our success by yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Until July 2, my highest amount of daily likes was Five. On July 3, it became Nine. And for today – whether or not it might happen – all I can wish for is that it’s more than nine. Even if it’s only Ten.

I suppose I picked up this concept – like many (not all, but many) – from my father.

Nanna – that’s how you say “Dad” in Telugu and I feel like calling him that now.

Nanna, when talking about my brother’s tennis ratings one day told me that it was important that in the long run my brother got a high score. Of course it was – it’s what my whole family looks forward to for my brother one day including him. But he told me that for now, on a match by match basis, it was more important to increase the score each time, irespective of by how much.

Even if it’s only by 0.01, it’s a good thing. Because it’s progress.

They say practice makes perfect. And I don’t know if that’s true. But I do know that progress makes success, however small it may seem in a single moment. (As long as you pair it with patience).

So here’s to Progress!

Also, thank you to whoever gave me those nine likes and to all my readers.