Is it worth it?

Any time we do hard things — demonstrate empathy when we’d rather not, show grace when it’s not deserved, keep working when our effort goes unnoticed — this question pops into our mind.

Is it worth it?

Sometimes the answer is obvious. No matter how much false labor I go through, I know my soon-to-arrive son will be worth it.

But very little in life is as obvious or tangible as giving birth to a human being. Sometimes the outcome of our effort doesn’t show up for years.

Is it still worth it?

This is a personal question that no one else can answer for us — a judgment call that must be made again and again.

Is it worth it for me?

Ask often, answer with conviction. There’s no right answer, only the confidence and endurance to invest in something worthwhile and the courage to abandon worthless endeavors.