A Hasidic rabbi was once asked what he did before he prayed. He said "I pray that I might pray." Preparation is an important, even crucial, step in our calling in this life. Most of us spend many years equipping ourselves for our life work. James Joyce, as part of his self-training as a writer, became a skilled linguist. Even though English was his medium of expression, he became proficient in half a dozen or so other languages. At one point, he even learned Norwegian so he could read Ibsen, the great playwright, in the original. Whatever our profession or vocation, we, like James Joyce, can dedicate ourselves to perfecting our skills and mastering our abilities. The better equipped we are in developing our capacities, the more excellent will be our offering to our world. Since we are each here to do something in this life, why not do what we do with great integrity, clarity and precision.