Dear LPG, 

Finding myself “up and at ‘em” much too early in the morning during the dark days; especially in the winter when the nights are long and the days far too short, happens far too often to me.

I was never one to disturb the whole house in the small hours, so I usually get my tablet out, and I came across something that caught my attention not so long ago.   

I found a six-year-old article which pointed out that the most popular national saying at the time was ‘practice makes perfect’.  The article points out that, back then, this was the phrase that we older people often offered our little ones. 

It resonated with me because the grownups around me so often directed it at me as a child, and as I got older I so often used its wisdom to encourage me, my friends, siblings and so many others to keep going.  It often comes up in conversation when I am talking to my grandchildren these days and, I think that the article was right as an older person who has often used this rule as a source of self-encouragement, and all through my years of study, work and so many personal pursuits of relative excellence.

But then came retirement and mixed with the lockdown-element of the pandemic, I have noticed that so many of us have lost that sense of achievement that we had when we had time limits to adhere to.

I have a retired sister who lives in Florida and having the time to video call her more often over the past couple of years has allowed us to know so much more about each other’s day to day lives.    I have learned that she is a bit of a procrastinator.  There are things she keeps threatening to do that are just not getting started.  This has made the maxim ‘practice makes perfect’ a phrase I have been throwing down the line during nearly every one of our twice weekly online chats in my attempt to keep her focussed.

But on that subject I am now wondering about another phrase that uses the word practice as a focal ingredient.

It crossed my mind that I am quite good at giving her lots of advice, but I have recently found myself asking the question do I follow my own advice.  In other words, do I ‘practice what I preach’?

The internet told me that we have the wisdom of John Adams, the second president of the United States to thank for the first very encouraging phrase, but the conscience-jogging second phrase is to be found in the Bible’s 23rd chapter of Matthew where Jesus reminds us of its significance in verse 3.

It was a while ago now and I suspect that this phrase has fallen from its number one spot since that top ten was researched, but I just thought I should remind all those who are good at giving good advice (like me) to remember to follow it too.

PS, Penge.

PS shares the research that allowed her to share her insight into this message…