Worries - A Vanishing Act

The following entry was written yesterday, August 27, and is being posted today.

The location is different, half ay across the country, but the view is
similar as I sit at a computer (two screens in front of me), staying
current with the office work (as I have become a problem addresser and
hopefully, solver) and looking out of a large window at the beautiful
green leaves (this time almost motionless as there seems to be no
breeze. I am not discontent with the situation for it is quiet and
unrushed, there is an opportunity for successful resolution of issues
that, in this instance, I did not create. Of course, I am certainly
mindful of the numerous situations both minor and major that I create
through wrong decisions, inattentiveness or any of the other causes of
these situations. WE all are human, but it does not make dealing with
mistakes better - it simply is a reality of life and we have to decide
how we will approach the situations.

Recently, I read a piece about a father whose daughter was distraught
over a certain situation. The father suggested that his daughter
write down all of the "things' that were troubling her (relationships
with friends, a poor test result, other problems) and place the list
in a sealed envelope to be opened in two weeks. At the end of the two
week period, the envelope was opened and the list was read. The
result? he list fell into two categories with one being items that
had been resolved (either in the ordinary course or with the
attention of the daughter) and the other being items that remained
unresolved but were not of any significant consequence (or, put
another way, not worth making oneself sick over).

This story can serve as a good reminder (as it does as I write it)
that there are few situations in life that rise "tragic level".
Moreover, there are lessons that ring true in this regard. One of my
favorites is paraphrased as follows: Give me the wisdom and strength
to accept that which I cannot change, to take the actions to change
that which is within my control, and to know the difference between
the two. Another is the childhood admonition "Don't cry over spilled
milk" which really should continue "simply wipe it up or let the cat
enjoy the treat"

Writing this journal entry also calls to mind the time in my early
20's as I stood outside of my efficiency apartment in University City.
For a bit of biographical perspective, at the time, I had graduated
from Washington University in three years (although I don't know what
motivated me to do so since there were so many learning opportunities
I missed), and I was working part time loading trucks on the midnight
shift at Roadway Express and substitute teaching (which led to a
wonderful all too short teaching career and a meeting with Debbie, my
best friend-wife so I guess from the early graduation "mistake", I
ended up with very sweet and tasty lemonade). The efficiency was the
first time I had lived entirely "on my own". In the apartment below
me was an elder lady whose name I can't recall, but I do remember that
there were many opportunities for me to assist her and, in doing so,
both help someone else and create a good personal feeling (like so
many other situations, both can happen and be one of the multiple
sources of the action), In any event, the purpose of this story is
that I remember standing outside of my building, next to my little
blue Opel station wagon, looking up at my apartment window, thinking
about something (long lost) was bothering me at the time.

And, I remember having an epiphany (though I may not have known that word at the time) that whatever was bothering me then would be of no import at some point in the future. I remember thinking in terms of 10 or 20 years (a time period long since passed), but the concept was the same. So, there I was, with an important life lesson in hand, which like the wonders of the ancient world, that lesson is lost from time to time, only to be rediscovered (we hope) at various times throughout life until it is fully incorporated into who we are and how we want to live.