Doing Your Best

In third grade we learned a song that went like this:

When I first came to this land,
I was not a wealthy man,
But I bought myself a farm,
And I did what I could.

And I called my farm Muscle in My Arm
But the land was sweet and good,
And I did what I could.

The song goes through numerous verses where he acquires a livestock, a wife, etc., giving ironic names to everything (the cow is named No Milk Now, the horse is Worse and Worse). It always bothered me a little that he names his wife as though she is another of his animals (Trouble and Strife) - and she apparently doesn't get a say in that. But what I liked about the song was its confidence that it is possible to do all you can - that you can set yourself this simple goal, accomplish it each day, and go to bed knowing you did what you could. If only life were that simple. In reality, how can you ever know you are actually doing all that you can? Maybe you could be earning more money in a different job. Or being a better person by taking evening classes or going to bluegrass concerts. Or making more friends at the corner coffeeshop. Or staying in better touch with the ones you have. Or learning to knit. Or spending time shopping for the perfect birthday present that will really make your husband happy. Or giving more to charitable organizations. Or getting more exercise. You can always do more, though it will always be at the expense of something else, and it's all about setting priorities and pushing yourself in directions you don't want to go. I would like to get up every day and do my best - but it's a constantly shifting target and I never know where to put my energy.