Policies

I have policies. Not policies like life-insurance policies. Policies like life policies. General rules I default to. Policies I’ve adopted through experience. Policies I’ve learned from wise friends. Policies that help me figure out the right thing to do when I don’t always know. Here are a few.

• Don’t lose you. – Kristi‘s mom
• Don’t play the result. – Michael J. Fox
• Feel what you feel and stop asking why you feel that way. Just know that you do and that it’s okay. – Patti Digh
• Be the athlete you are. – Danielle Fryer
• The big and scary and frightening stuff is always worth it. Always. – Britt Reints

See, I finally figured out that it’s okay to cheat a little. It’s okay not to rely on willpower and your ability to think on your feet. It’s okay to follow a rule you know will help. It’s okay to explain your actions without arguing their merits.

Some families have “policies” to keep order with their kids – but sometimes you need to keep order with your own self too. Sometimes consistency is useful, whether you’re a kid or not.

I don’t live up to my policies. Not always. Not even most times. But I try. And that’s why they help.