Trificult Times


The word “Trificult” rhymes with difficult—and it’s a word my young granddaughter created when we were playing a game that was harder than just difficult—hence the need for a better word: trificult.

Just because the game was trificult, we didn’t use it as an excuse to quit. Instead, we allowed ourselves extra chances to get it right.


My granddaughter seems to enjoy the challenge of doing things just beyond her capabilities—the trificult things. But having extra minutes added to the time clock helps. So does the opportunity to try again, and again.


While I don’t think “trificult” will be something she remembers a few years from now, I’ll remember how we found a way to work through trificult things with a better attitude and a little bit of grace.


Maybe I’ll keep the word trificult in my vocabulary for those times I’d rather quit or worse, get cranky about life. Trificult things just need some extra minutes on the time clock or more chances to get it right. 


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