by degrees

The trio huffed…
and they puffed…
and they made it to the top of the hill.

Thalia held her tumultuous tummy. “Toooooold-ya the little green pills were gonna be a problem! And we’re still weak — and breathy.”

Urania, who favored of fast fixes, nodded her agreement.

Calliope sighed and linked arms with her fellow mountaineers. “C’mon now… patience, pluck, persistence. We’ve got this.”

How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?
~ William Shakespeare