Tuesday, January 14, 2014

TIME OUT...


"Take a deep breath...it's just a bad day, not a bad life."
Anonymous

 
I won't bother asking if you've ever had a bad day...ridiculous, because you've probably had zillions of them!  For sure I have...oh wow!  I almost have a bad day just thinking of some of my more painful ones!  Ouch.
 
Car ran out of gas on way to work…forgot to set the alarm for a flight…left your money at home…looked for your car keys for hours (in your pocket)…you name it, someone’s had it.
 
Most of the time they are minor; occasionally one is downright horrid...and painful.  Different strokes for different folks in handling those times/days! 
 
Here's what Lou Holtz has to say about that.  See what you think:
"Don't tell your problems to people; eighty percent don't care;
and the other twenty percent are glad you have them."
 

 
Is it better to keep your  bad 's bottled in your stressed body/mind or spilling your innards to a friend?  Or maybe sometimes even to a stranger?
 
Well, in re-thinking what Lou Holtz said...it’s not so much pertaining to a bad day perhaps as much as being a bad problem...each of us determines the difference and applies the situation to ourselves.  To some a bad day is transitory...here today, gone tomorrow!  To others a bad day can be perceived as a real problem...one that doesn't disappear when the day ends...dragging on endlessly.  Ouch.
 
For me I s'pose it's rather like having a 'bad hair day'...picking, brushing...little curling iron or straightening and good to go again...rats...fixable w/o too much bother!  Just do what I can with it and go on about life...smiling, of course!
 
Other times I really, really need to get it out...talk it out to someone.  If no one's available just talk it out to the cat or the kitchen sink full of dishes...(we don't have an automatic dishwasher now...just two hands each...two for M and two for me...it works).  I do talk to myself quite often; a little hot air never hurt anyone.
 
Lou Holtz says 80% don't care about listening...maybe that's true.  But...I don't want to be in that classification...I want, I really want to listen.  I'll admit that sometimes I find myself planning what I want to say...rather than giving a person my undivided attention.  Being honest with ourselves?  I think that's the case more often than not...don't you?
 
People we encounter have bad days and they have problems...so what should I do?  I should be aware, receptive and responsive!  That's not too difficult, is it?  For me it isn't...okay, so Michael and I are free...retired and usually w/o a crammed calendar or list of 'to-do's'.  But still, one who is troubled doesn't really care about such details...they just need someone to talk to...maybe it's you, maybe it's me!
 
Hopefully I'll not find myself in the 20% either...being glad that person has problems...not me!  It's like I wrote last week, why in the world would I wish my problems on someone/anyone else?  I can't do that...God gives me the strength to get through things by looking to Him, leaning on Him and letting Him have my troubles.  Maybe the other person isn't so blest or maybe they will be a blessing to me...that does happen you know!
 
We're all different...a good thing.  Goodness knows we'd be in some crazy shape if everyone was like me...oh boy!  My nickname's 'Fiasco'...does that give you any clues?
 
Blue collar, white collar, doctorates, drop-outs, singles, independents, married, liberals, parents, divorces, conservatives, felons, addicts...on and on we go.  And we all have bad days...but that doesn't necessarily mean we have or will have bad lives.  
 
Take/make time to listen...try to understand the 'bad days'...I am honestly doing my best to listen to those who want or need to 'spit it out'...not pretend I'm interested but 100% caring about their days...their lives.  Just as I want others to care about my days...my life!  If you're of the 20% who's happy about some ones bad day or days...that's your bad!
 
 
"Everybody can be great...
because anybody can serve.
You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
You don't have to make your subject
and verb agree to serve.
You only need a heart full of grace.
A soul generated by love."
...Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
So...anyone can have a bad day.
If you need to talk to someone, do so!
Few words to the wise...take a deep breath and...?
Give it to God.
He's the One with a heart full of grace;
He's the One who is full of love...
He's the One who listens...always!
 
From my heart...to yours,
Vasca  

1 comment:

  1. Oh! Vasca! Our washer overflowed yesterday when my husband was home! He looked just like that pic! I just thought..."God wants me to reorganize my laundry room and de-clutter!" (Yea God for giving me a reason to clean!!) Thanks Vasca!!

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