Spirituality Guide

When we think we’ve had enough is when we seem to get more. When we think we can’t take anymore is when it seems more comes. Just because your plate is full doesn’t mean you can’t get some more food!

What I am saying is this: don’t give up or become exasperated because you feel overwhelmed. Remember, God will not allow us to go through any more than we are able to bear. I have a story…

The other day I was sitting in the hair salon waiting for my turn to get my hair styled. I was next in line, so I would be in the chair maybe in the next 10-15 minutes. Then it happened: my cell phone rang. I looked at the number but didn’t recognize it. I usually don’t answer numbers I don’t recognize because, you know, ::telemarketers::. Anyway, I had to answer it because my kids are all in school and I didn’t know if it could be one of their schools calling. Well, it was. It was the little one’s daycare school. He’s three years old.

I answered it and right after the cordial “hello”, there was the director on the other end saying, “Your child, ____ just threw up. He was eating his lunch and just threw up. Sounds like he had a little congestion but he’s fine now. As a matter of fact, they are about to go down for a nap. But, you have to come and get him”. Now mind you although he is my son, and I do love him more than life itself, I DID NOT WANT TO GET UP FROM THE BEAUTY SHOP CHAIR AND GO GET HIM!!!!! There, I said it. I really didn’t. The time I spend in the hair salon is a luxury to me. I was simply exhausted anyway and when they called, I really just wanted to cry. Going to get him meant I would have to go get him and bring him back to the…(gulp)…hair shop with me! No, no, no I didn’t want to do it. That’s when I made the comment that changed my whole perspective that day.

A lady sitting across from me had heard my conversation with the day care teacher and asked if everything was alright. I said yes, my son is sick and I have to go get him. And I was supposed to be next in the chair and I was 45 minutes away from the hair salon. Did I mention that I was supposed to be next in the chair to get styled?

As I sat there for a few minutes contemplating my exit strategy, I made the audible comment that “if it ain’t one thing it’s another!”. Well, the lady sitting across from me didn’t think I needed to say or feel that. She promptly said this to me.

Don’t ever say if it’s not one thing it’s another. That’s not true. Things could always be worse, but they’re not. Don’t think like that or say things like that. Just be grateful for things the way that they are. Things will get better…but they can get worse.

Those words hit me and they hit me hard. I heard her loud and clear and mentally vowed to not complain anymore, ever again. Well, at least no more for the rest of they day. But it did cause me to stop and think. We only go through and experience the things we need to for the time that we need to. There is nothing that we go through that wastes our time and teaches us nothing. We are better each time we come out of a situation if we just stop and recognize what is going on around us.

So my new motto for the day is, “if it is one thing, I will become a better person for it”.