On Edison's Time
Cora: Mom, can you please help me? I've tried to tie my shoes like ten times and it's not working.
Me: Hmmm.... How many times did Thomas Edison try to invent a lightbulb before he actually got one to work?
Cora: I don't know.
Me: About ten thousand. If it took him ten thousand times and he kept trying, I think you can keep trying after ten times to tie your shoes.
Cora, without missing a beat: Yeah, Mom, but I don't have that kind of time.
Me: Hmmm.... How many times did Thomas Edison try to invent a lightbulb before he actually got one to work?
Cora: I don't know.
Me: About ten thousand. If it took him ten thousand times and he kept trying, I think you can keep trying after ten times to tie your shoes.
Cora, without missing a beat: Yeah, Mom, but I don't have that kind of time.