beginnings

Tolliver tried flippers in the pool for the first time last weekend.  He kicked around for just a few minutes before popping up, goggled face and huge grin, demanding the universal young swimmer's Look at me! and then declaring: I'm gettin' the hang of it!

Tucker's piano teacher has been assigning challenge pieces - the most recent with a new time signature - that stretch Tuck way beyond the "this comes easy" zone.  He plays for a few minutes here and a few minutes there, whenever the mood strikes, repeating the same hard phrases, making lots of mistakes. But he handles each error with an enviable measure of grace.

And baby Hank walks all over the place these days, navigating our space with intuition and intrigue, gauging whether he can make it on two feet from one spot to another.  He stumbles often and stands again, each day traveling farther and falling less.

I can't help but feel proud of each boys' pluck and perseverance.
And I wonder, does complete disinterest in perfection make it easier to be a beginner?