What is something about yourself that has gotten better with time?
Recently, I’ve come to believe that the alchemists had it right. The alchemical process of transformation is one of destruction and refinement, destruction and refinement, repeated over and over. And with each iteration, the soul rises a little higher before it’s brought low again.
I’m in one of the troughs right now, trying to trust that when I get through, I’ll be better than before I fell into this hole. My inner life does seem to get better over time. As I grow older, I find myself happier, more relaxed, feeling freer and lighter.
I still make a lot of dumb mistakes.
Aging has not delivered to me a magic bullet of wisdom. Recently, I was on the precipice of a huge mistake, and only managed to pull myself back just in time. (Don’t ask). I knew it was the wrong move, but the temptation was mighty. It would be nice if those temptations would wear down over time as well. But I get the feeling they won’t, and that the alchemical process is never ending, soaring heights followed by dark nights of the soul. Or in the case of my aforementioned near mistake, perhaps a dark knight of the soul…
So.
What is something about yourself that has gotten better with time?
P.S. Yes, this is another one of my writing assignments that I have to post and that I find so dreadful. What is wrong with me that I feel so loathe to write about how I’ve gotten better over time? It shouldn’t be that big of a deal. Should it?