Joseph Olivarez

I remember feeling so embarrassed afterward that I stopped going to the class altogether. I honestly don’t know how I passed. Maybe the teacher felt bad. Maybe she understood the impact it had. I don’t know.

But maybe wisdom is learning that not every emergency belongs to you. Not every burden is yours to carry. Not every phone call requires a rescue mission. Not every friendship deserves unlimited access to your emotional energy. Maybe adulthood is learning that loving your neighbor was never supposed to mean abandoning yourself.

Maybe God honors sincere effort more than polished perfection. Maybe there’s something holy about continuing to try. Trying to love Him better. Trying to love people better. Trying to become softer instead of harder. Trying to stay kind in a culture that often rewards cruelty. Maybe that effort itself matters. And maybe, despite all our flaws, distractions, and imperfections...there’s grace in the trying.