Mental Matters
By Jennifer Goble

Stress, drama, chaos; I had days of frustration. Let me explain.

My driver’s license was lost. A few days later, my purse, housing my phone and cash, disappeared at a garage sale. The next day, my computer decided it’s operating system (like I know what that is) required reinstallation where I risked losing documents, contacts, and photos.

In the middle of these events, I received word hail had chosen my house to release its anger, and the damage did not exceed my deductible. I had company coming for four days, chipped my front tooth, and had three grandchildren graduating.

With anxiety and fear of what would happen next, I wrote this article. Can you relate? Have you been in the life-wave of wanting to yell, “Uncle! Enough already! I’m only one human person. I have limits! Stop!”

Self-medicating (wine) helped temporarily but not a permanent solution. If I complained about my menial troubles, I sounded like “Blah, blah, blah.” My sweet daughter would say, “I hear you clucking big chicken.” My husband, God bless him, would not hear me, and if he did, would say, “It doesn’t bother me.”

Outside the sun is shining, someone is mowing the grass, and fun activities await my day. There are times when we need to befriend perspective, and shift our thoughts.

In reality, a kind lady returned my driver’s license; my purse, instead of being stolen, was purchased for a dollar at an estate sale, where I had set it down ‘for a minute.’ Tracked through an app called, “Find my iPhone, I sent my husbands phone number in a message, and they called. We met in a parking lot and they returned my purse with everything intact; the hail damage didn’t need immediate attention; I was granted a next-day appointment to fix my tooth; the computer is working; time with my company was just what I needed; all graduations were attended and treasured.

My husband said, “You are the luckiest person I know.” I probably glared at him, but he was right. The following anonymous quote says it well:
“Even though there are days I wish I could change some things that happened in the past, there’s a reason the rear view mirror is so small and the windshield is so big. Where you’re headed is much more important than what you’ve left behind.”

Slow down and notice the lessons and kindness following unfortunate happenings. Life is (usually-often-sometimes) good, bad, and neutral. Make friends with perspective.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.

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