Today my son was helping unload the dishwasher when he dropped a ceramic bowl. It made a huge sound as it hit the Pergo and he immediately started crying. After the calming and fixing and hugging part, I realized something that made me go "Hmmmm".
Often times something happens that isn't really a big deal, but the "noise" of it is shattering to our tender parts. Does that make sense? I mean that sometimes the shock isn't in what happened, but in the fact that it happened at all. It's how we feel about it or look at it that is so upsetting, not the actual event. And while we can't choose the things that happen to us, we can choose how we feel about them.
The breaking of the bowl isn't a big deal. But the slipping of the bowl out of our fingers, the juggling to catch it before it hits, the simultaneous realization of what is about to happen and the accompanying sense of dread and loss as we hear the loud crash, that, sometimes, is devastating.
7 comments:
I can relate, for instance, you have to work on the 24th of July, which you aren't happy about, but you deal with it since after all, you took that holiday time off the week before. But it is difficult for you to cope with since the fun has passed and now you are missing the parade to be at work. So you go to work and it's unbareably quiet and you keep checking the clock but only 15 minutes have passed, so you talk to yourself and convince yourself that if you can wait until 10:00, and try not to look at the clock until then, you can go to the tesoro and get a Dr. Pepper. You wait anxiously and try not to think about it, about how you get to briefly run away and pretend you aren't at work, and get a tall Dr. Pepper, the breakfast shake of champions, and finally, finally you make it, and try to be patient as you drive the speed limit because a cop is behind you, when really you just want a Dr. Pepper, fresh from the fountain because they are so much better that way, and you get to the tesoro, park crooked, knock an old man over on your way in, make a b-line for the fountain to find and scrawled little note that the Dr. Pepper fountian is 'out of order'- you can't believe it and you interrupt the clerk to double check, because this has to be a cruel cruel not very funny joke, and Pedro just looks at you and says 'well, if the sign says were out, were out' so you stand there stunned, trying not to argue with him or break out crying, and then you try to console yourself with coke, but it doesn't help and the brown drink just mocks you because it looks like Dr. Pepper, but it's not, you forget it's not your drink of choice and when you drink it you grimace and realize it's just a foul substitute that tastes like hair spray- so yes, I think I kind of remotely get what you mean.
Wise words Michy.
Tell Rachel I'm so sorry they were out of Dr. Pepper. Same thing happened at Costco yesterday. I go to get the hot dog and drink special after surviving Costco with 5 kids (stupid, I know, but I had no choice) and they ask if you want Coke, diet Coke, or Sprite in a can, since their fountain drinks (all but lemonade) are out. So, I took my Diet Coke, poured it over ice and was just thankful they had ice.
Look at it this way. Now you won't have to wash that bowl again...ever.
Love the comparison to life in this story. Sometimes I can feel life slipping out of my hands and I panic. Funny thing is...The next morning all seems to be better. I think we should just not fall apart when we think the whole world is crashing. Remember the Lord is still in charge and he won't let too many bowls fall. Love MOM
Michelle,
I find it sweet that your whole family reads your blog and posts comments!
Hi Iris!
Almost (almost!) everything that we dread looks much worse before it happens (oooh - that sense of dread!) than after the fact.
I can totally relate with Rach and Mich and Mom. Boy how I have missed reading the blogs. Seems like my summer just slipped out of my hands. Although we had 2 really great vacations, a new car and a mini Cherry Hill vacation, I still feel jipped as my daughter boards the bus this morning.
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