Practice

I have just three things to teach: patience, simplicity, compassion.  These three are your greatest treasures.

~ Lao Tzu

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What is interesting is that if you practice patience, simplicity and compassion, you will be more happy.  I think.  

I originally wrote, "if you HAVE patience, simplicity and compassion," but then changed it.  Because it is not about the possessing, but the practicing.  It is about engaging not owning.

I love dogs.  Well, big dogs more than small ones.  They may not always practice patience, but they certainly are role models of simplicity and compassion.  They want to play and rest and be near the people about whom they care.  And when those people are sad or hurting, they want to be present and they (seem to) sense that their people are sad or hurting.

We can't all be perfect, but to practice 2/3s of the things which can make us better is better than practicing none and wanting things that don't matter.  And practice, in my opinion, doesn't make perfection of action.  Practice may, however, may perfect practice.