Worrying Is An Alternative But So Is Peace.
Ever solved a problem by worrying through it?
Give my brain 5 minutes and it will worry through 50 minutes.
When I wrote my piece about how I cannot wait to get to 50 years, a kind commenter gave me a perspective about living through my years and not trying to run away from the circumstances. I think she was spot on.
In case you didn’t get it from my intro — I am a worrier…used to be. Hopelessly.
Have you ever solved a problem by worrying through it? No? Me neither. Every solution to most personal challenges comes in three ways: practical means, critical thinking, or…plain ol’ TIME.
Many times, TIME is really all we need. Time reveals. Time smoothens. Time has a way of showing us that what we had little or no control over, was never ours to worry through.
When my sister who worries like me, calls me to say,
“I am scared about so and so…will it always be like so?”
I have learned to say:
I do not know but what I believe is that we may not get what we want but we will always end up where we need to be. Just do your part and leave the rest.
These days, when I call her to worry about something, she reminds me of what I say. I appreciate it. Maybe this is my age showing. Maybe I have gotten to the end of my worrying quota.
Time teaches you patience. Patience is a must for dealing with the issues of life. Many issues will arise but not all can be handled without time and patience.
Just this morning I asked a friend to help me withdraw some money with my debit card. We have people on street corners who give you money and you pay into their account with a small charge, rather than going into the banks. They are very helpful to us.
My friend called me back:
Have you been debited?
I said: Yes.
She: The woman is saying that the money has not reflected in her account.
I needed that money for expenses. It will really ruin my week if there were issues with it.
In my former life: I will have lost my peace. I will pace around. Call repeatedly. Ask the woman to call her bank. On and on until…
Yeah. Exhausting.
Me now: Okay. Let me know when the money reflects.
I continued on with my work. I actually forgot about it until she called back to say the money had reflected in the woman’s account.
This is just a minute event but imagine how many other things that can potentially ruin the day or week or month or even the year, that I lose my peace over — just worrying nonstop. Maybe you can imagine it for yourself?
I don’t know what has driven my new approach to living. Maybe my new best friend- patience. Maybe it is because I am in my 30s and the ‘worst’ already happened: breakups, brokeness, and all the shame that comes with them. I think it is the fact that all my tears, hopes, and prayers did not stop life from happening, taught me a big lesson. Most importantly, I think it is the fact that I survived all the valleys I thought will take me out.
The way I see it, there are many ways my life can end up: poor, single, comfortable, etc. The one thing that no one can take or give me though, is peace.
I bring the peace. I choose peace. I will no more worry through life and no matter what the future holds, I will be alright. I will be at peace. And that is enough for me.
Thank you for reading. What about you: still worrying through it or learning to let it go…?
