Thought for late in the semester

Men often become
what they believe themselves to be.

If I believe I cannot do something,
it makes me incapable
of doing it.

But when I believe I can,
then I acquire the ability to do it
even if I didn't have it in the beginning.

--Mahatma Gandhi
***

I stole this from Swandive, but it's not the first time I'd seen it. Several years ago--I've forgotten exactly when--someone at Traditions in Olympia had scrawled the same quotation on their staff graffiti board. I noticed it, ran for pen and paper, and tucked it in the back of a journal somewhere. I was achingly lacking in self-confidence then, but I knew what I was missing. I don't know that I believed these words, but I wanted to. Now, I can appreciate the truth in them.

I don't even want to list all the pressures I feel right now, around school, summer, and figuring out next year. My friends here are similarly under the gun, so to speak; for many of them, it's about finding jobs. Pray for all of us, please.

I seem to find these things that feed my faith, or they find me, when I need them. I am grateful.