Maybe You Really Can Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

Three days ago, in my quiet morning time, I was reading my local newspaper.  As I got through each section one by one, I found myself on the page with the comics, horror-scopes, and the crossword puzzle.  Briefly I perused Lio (a new favorite) and B.C. (an old favorite).  Yes, I also humored myself by checking out the answers to life's dilemmas for Aquarians.  And then my eyes stopped on the crossword puzzle.

Crosswords remind me of my dad.  When growing up, I remember him working on crosswords.  A lot.  Big ones.  Scary Ones.  Epic ones.  I've tried to do crossword puzzles over the years, but I've never been able to get past roughly 5 Down or 15 across.  Guess the apple fell too far from the tree.  Guess the puppy wasn't paying attention to the adult on how to root out the needed words.  Sigh.

Nonchalantly I look at the first "Across" clue only to realize...hey, I know the answer!  So I looked at the next clue.  I know this one, too.  Must be a fluke.  Onward I read, and to my surprise, I knew the third answer as well.  Three in a row.  Quick!  Go buy a lottery ticket!  Thinking my luck was about to run out, I timidly looked at the "Down" clues.  Whadda ya know, I know these, too.  Onward I proceeded with pencil in hand, filling in box after box with letter after letter, until... I finished.  Oh my gosh!  I actually finished a crossword puzzle with no help.  What a red letter day!  Since Monday, I've done the crossword puzzle everyday, and I've finished every one.  Maybe I actually know more than I thought.  Maybe I'm really lucky.  Maybe they're super easy puzzles.  More than likely it's a combination of all three.

But it got me thinking...it's taken me this long to really work at a crossword puzzle and actually finish one.  Maybe it's not too late to teach an old dog new tricks.  Maybe there's more I'd like to try.  And there is.  I really want to learn how to play the guitar.  Guitar players are cool to me.  And they have cool names like Sean, Jeff, David, and J.C.  I tried to self-teach a few years ago, but that didn't go too well.  But that shouldn't stop me from trying again.  Really trying.  Like...with a teacher, really trying, effort.  Maybe someday.

It's not too late to try something new, learn something new, be someone new.  It's not too late to change an attitude, say "I'm sorry," forgive someone, or go back to school.  Don't let a past failed attempt stop you from trying again.  Don't prejudge your outcome by looking at your current circumstances.  Where would we be if Mr. Edison gave up after the first try, or second, and so on?  Or George Washington Carver?  Or Gandhi?  Or God?  What if God gave up on us when we failed at something?  But God doesn't.  God knows our potential and encourages us.  God always reaches out to us and meets us where we are.  But God loves us too much to leave us where we are.  God believes in us.

It's not too late to work at making a change you've been wanting.  Believe in yourself.  Because when you do, you believe in the One who created you!