You can learn a lot from packing a box.
No, for real. I’ve been working at a factory for the past few months, trying to earn some cash to help fund the WR. Here’s my job in a nutshell: Parts are missing from a certain toy because we ran out at the factory. We get the part in. I go back and put the missing part in the box, tape it up, and call it good. Repeat. 500+ times.
So every day, another woman I work with will go grab a tow motor, find the boxes in need of some fixing, and lay them all out in a giant row for me. Then I get busy.
Right about the time I’m feeling pretty good and have worked my way down the line of boxes, I’ll look up and they’ll all be gone. The woman has come by, picked up all the finished product, and dropped some more for me to do. Just great. That super good feeling I had moments ago has done a vanishing trick and now all I can muster is a faint smile to her and a not-so-cheerful “here we go again” to myself.
Here’s the point of all this… why am I letting myself get so focused on the new boxes being laid down, the work yet to be done, the struggles and hardships yet to come, instead of rejoicing in the victories?
This has kind of become a trend in parts of my life recently, and it needs to stop. Yes, there are struggles in life. Yes, there are going to be difficult times. Yes, it’s just going to plain suck at points. WELCOME TO LIFE. Life is and always will be full of mountains and valleys.
But instead of focusing on all the bad being thrown your way, take joy in the moments where you can. Instead of looking at the pending valley, smile and look out at the beautiful view as you stand upon that mountain. YOU JUST CLIMBED A FREAKING MOUNTAIN GOSH DANGIT AND THAT’S SOMETHING TO BE EXCITED ABOUT! Bask in the moment, watch the sunrise, do a happy dance.
Here’s a quote from Beth Moore on this topic that rings so true:
“A history of unwelcomed changes can be a breeding ground for insecurity, because it invites you to become addicted to dread. You learn to live life with the constant expectations that something bad is about to happen. And because life is life, eventually something bad will happen, deepening your commitment to forecasting doom. You develop into your own false prophet, and if you don’t stop yourself, you won’t rest until you’re proved true. It’s a miserable trap of self-inflicted insecurity. You can cheat yourself of ever enjoying the terrific season you’re experiencing because you’re waiting any moment for it to change—and always for the worse.”
This year I’ve had a lot of stupid little crap happen, a lot of change. No, nothing major. Just…life. And as hard as it may be, I need to keep enjoying the wonderful moments, soaking up the sun (and the Son), and basking in its glory.
Have you lost sight of the forest for the trees? Have you missed the little victories for all the boxes being thrown your way? Have you ignored the beauty of the mountaintop for the impending doom of the valley?
