Good, better, best; never let it rest
Until the good is better and the better is best 

I’ve been sick the last couple of days. I hate being sick. Who doesn’t? But really; I hate being unable to do anything I want to do, and I hate being dependent on other people. So, I took the day off from work, slept a lot, watched some TV, and tried to get better. Things are looking good, and I should be ready to return to work tomorrow. Not bad, actually. I made my recovery fast by continuing to eat and get the nutrients my body needs to fight off whatever cold or flu I have. Megadoses of vitamin C – it works.

I guess the thing that upsets me most about being sick is that I stop progressing. My goal each day is to get better at something. For instance, a lot of the time I’m trying to set a view record here on WordPress, or I’m just trying to write better blog posts. I think they’ve improved since I started this blog in December of 2011, but who knows. In the end I’m not the judge of that – you are. The point is that I’m continually looking to be better.

I personally think it’s very important to keep our bodies in tip-top shape at all times. We should be able to get up and go, without aches and pains. We should be able to run without being out of breathe after half a block. We should be strong – able to bench press our body weight (at least) and deadlift twice that. I love setting goals for myself physically, and working to meet them. Whether it’s trying to get new PR, or looking to put a couple extra pounds of muscle on my back – it’s fun, and it’s great for the mind and spirit.

There’s the other one – the mind. I’ve talked before about how I wasn’t particularly stimulated by the education provided by my school. In fact, I would actually skip school to go to the library, because I felt that I’d learn more there than in class. Kind of sad, but it’s interesting that even at the ripe young age of 16, I liked to push myself mentally. “Book smarts” are often talked down, and are seen as inferior to “street smarts”. While the two are different, and both are very important, being a smart person provides you with something that the “streets” can’t provide you with. A powerful brain.

Spiritually – well, I think this one is the most fun because there is no end to it. With the physical stuff, you set goals and landmarks, but eventually you get to a point where you’re too old to actually get better. That doesn’t happen with faith. By studying scripture, listening to sermons, and talking with other believers, we can keep growing our relationship with God. Once you get started there isn’t an end. The relationship doesn’t ever become “full” or “over”. It’s always there, and if there is only one thing that we focus on – it should be this.

Progress – it’s a beautiful thing. Studying, training, always looking to be better than you were yesterday. In my mind, this is the way to get the most out of life; by developing better relationships, by being smarter than you were yesterday, and by being stronger than you thought you could ever be. Isn’t that what life ought to be about?