I followed Val as we walked to the edge of the shore, just out of reach of the gentle waves rolling up against the golden sand. I took a breath, then another, but I didn’t feel any calmer than when I started trying to quiet my thoughts. If anything, I only felt more frustrated.
You can’t expect everything to come easily all the time, I scolded myself. After all, I hadn’t earned my master’s degree because it was easy. I loved astronomy and hadn’t minded studying hard to write a thesis and pass exams. I also just loved to learn. I loved the joy of discovery, and the sense of accomplishment I felt when conquering a difficult task or technique.
I ground my teeth as frustration welled back up. Except I don’t have the time to wander through learning right now. I need to get this right. Fenris
