Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

We've sent in all the paperwork that we need this side of Srushti's arrival. I'm sure there must be some more papers hidden in this tangled bureaucracy, though. Nonetheless, we aren't aware of any more papers. We are her legal guardians and we've petitioned to classify her as an immediate relative so that she can come to the United States. Now we go back to waiting. We go back home, work on the house, get her room together more and more, and get on with life once again.

In some ways, I feel so unprepared and yet I'm completely ready for this. When I say "ready" I mean "ready" in the way that any happy new mother is ready. I'm swimming in conflicting emotions- pure joy, anticipation, scared shitless, clueless, excitement, confusion, etc. Just because you want something more than anything else, doesn't mean that the path will be easy. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

This goes for religion, art, relationships, anything that brings meaning to our lives. If your religion asks nothing of you, maybe you ought to look somewhere else. Christianity is a paradox, though. God gives his Grace freely, no merit on our part. And yet Christ says that we must lose our lives in order to gain ever lasting life. If the art you make doesn't cause anyone to think or if it is not difficult to make, stop. Start something else that is. Even though my marriage is wonderful and full of joy, we've had our share of challenges, especially in the slings and arrows that life has tossed our way. And like all other married couples, we've vowed to one another to not have sex with anyone else for as long as we live. It seems easy right now to keep that vow, but just looking around I know that temptation comes to many couples in many ways. Yet, we weren't called into to this union because it was easy, but because it is Good.

Parenting can be that thing which epitomizes the statement that nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Raising up the next generation can be the most meaningful thing that a person ever does and ask any parent and "easy" will be the one word they never use.