This morning, despite the fact that there were widespread fears of ice storms and the like, the drive both to and from work ended up being pleasant today even if the roads were a bit full of loose stones that sounded crinkly while I drove over them and even if half of the parking lot was still under a fair bit of snow and the smaller streets closest to work and home were a bit snow-covered still. Whether it was a matter of fear or a matter of inertia or a matter that transportation networks were still down in some areas of town, so that those who could not drive or whose cars were not yet able to travel safely could not get to work quickly. Being a person who generally does not like to drive with a lot of traffic, I found the lack of traffic pleasant for the most part, even if I found the conditions of the road still requiring a fair amount of caution.

I have written before about the relationship between success and showing up [1]. There is some question as to the percentage of success that is required in showing up. Much would depend on the specific endeavor that is being discussed. For example, those behaviors that cause the most stress and are subject to the most uncertainty would be those activities where simply showing up gives one the biggest advantage, as it suggests a level of courage and bravery that far exceeds one’s peers. An example of this would be early in the Civil War when then Col. Ulysses Grant faced off against a feared Missouri partisan leader named Col. Thomas Harris, being afraid of an encounter given his enemy’s fearsome reputation until he reached the place where Harris was supposed to be and Harris had fled. The difference in courage here at the beginning of war, in July of 1861 [2], presaged the different fate of the two leaders. Harris remains largely forgotten to those who have not read Grant’s Memoirs, while Ulysses Grant became the General-in-chief of the Union Army and later a two-term President of the United States. A large part of that difference in fate consisted in showing up.

There are some occasions where success is nearly guaranteed for merely showing up with a good attitude. An example of this can be found in Pride & Prejudice, where Elizabeth Bennet finds herself a bit frightened about making a good impression for herself when she visits Pemberly and has a luncheon with Darcy, Darcy’s younger sister, and Mr. Bingley, all people she wishes to impress for different reasons. To be sure, many of us, no matter how skilled we are socially, tend to be very nervous and frightened when it comes to matters of romance for ourselves and loved ones, and to be sure social occasions are much more stressful when flirtation and interest are involved, because the stakes are so much higher and the possibility of miscommunication so much greater. That said, when everyone involved is willing or determined to enjoy themselves, our fears can prove to be illusory largely by showing up, for presence and a friendly smile and a desire to communicate openly on all sides will largely guarantee success in such matters, no matter how much easier it is to say such things than do them.

What does it remain for us to do then? We cannot choose the circumstances we deal with, but we can choose the way we choose to deal with them. The only way that we can succeed in the various efforts of our lives is to show up. At times we may stress ourselves out with the thought that perfection or a horrendously difficult standard of excellence is required for our efforts to be worthwhile, but more often in times of great difficulty showing up is the biggest hurdle that we must overcome in order to excel. There is much that can be learned through practice, much that can be gained through instruction, and many ways in life where our previous efforts can be the foundation for further success. We must begin, though, by showing up, and continuing to show up, come what may. After all, no one who puts his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). If we don’t show up, and persist in showing up, then success will always elude us.

[1] Most notably here: https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/08/11/ninety-percent-of-success-is-just-showing-up/

[2] http://www.nps.gov/ulsg/historyculture/a-valuable-lesson-in-1861.htm