The Longest Word in the English Language Is...

TRY!

Hello, I meant to write sooner but I wanted to ponder this topic. About a week ago, I was taking care of my 94 year old patient, Dorothy. She is a neat lady, who I know is a "divine appointment" in my life.

Each time I have a PT session with her, to help her not lose strength, we have a routine. It involves her saying to me that she doesn't think her legs will work, and I say something about let's give it a try. Last week she responded, "Try...the longest word in the English language."

While I counted to twenty as she lifted her leg, I had a little conversation in my head. It went something like this:

Self: Hmm, that was an interesting statement.
Out Loud: 8,9,10
Self: Try...she may have hit on something.
Out Loud: 13,14,15
Self: Everyday, she tries.
Out Loud: 17,18,19
Self: Everyday, she looks forward to trying.
Out Loud: 20, Good Job Dorothy!

Perhaps I have too much time on my hands, but the remainder of that day and the rest of the week, I thought about Dorothy and her declaration of the word "TRY."

I have come to the conclusion that try really IS the longest word in the English language. It may only be three letters long, but those three letters represent a spirit that resides in each and everyone of us, every single day of our life. I know that when I try to do something, or write something, or be something, there are times that it feels like I'll never hit my twentieth repetition. I'll never see the end. I'll never reach the goal. But that isn't the point, is it?

The point is, that we are just supposed to "try."

If we don't try, we'll never know. We'll never know if we can write that book, or lose that pound, or learn to love. We'll never know our potential.

The universe doesn't say to us, "Before you die you must successfully produce....(fill in the blank)." It just wants us to "try." And then it gives us a whole bunch of days to keep on trying.

Look at Dorothy, she's been trying for 94 years. And some days, she reaches her twenty repetitions and some days she doesn't, but everyday she tries.

When I grow up, I want to be just like Dorothy.

Have hope,
Donna