“Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.”
– George Carlin (1937-2008)
Some things just don’t matter.
That’s something you learn when you’re only 32-years-old and find out you have cancer.
Some things just aren’t as important as you thought they were.
I survived. I was lucky. I was blessed.
I know far too many people who have a different story. I don’t dismiss that easily.
So, when life is currently a bit overwhelming I have to remind myself.
Some things. Just. Don’t. Matter.
I’m not going into the details here, but let’s just say, hypothetically speaking, that one particular area of my life is currently a micro-management hell.
Deep. Breath. Deep. Breath.
I am hoping that this is just a phase because I don’t think it’s going to be helpful for me to start screaming “Would you just freaking lighten up?”
No. Not helpful at all.
I’ll admit it. I’m a bit on the edge here.
Don’t even think about suggesting decaf.
This will pass. I know it will. It has before.
And, no, it doesn’t even have anything to do with the over commitment I’ve already talked about. That may not help. But it’s not the source of this particular round of annoyance.
What I know, what we all know, is that we can’t change life events. We can’t change what other people think, say, and do.
Trust me, I played politics for thirty years. It’s really hard to change minds.
So, all I can do is control how I react to this.
I need to take a walk. I need to hit the pool. I need to step away.
Sometimes that’s the best way to deal with an annoyance. Step away for a bit and come back to it.
The break may give you time to find the solution. At a minimum it helps put things in perspective.
The main lesson I learned from my cancer experience is that sometimes it’s just good to be quiet.
Psalm 46:10 says:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
It’s hard for me to be still right now. Most of that is no one’s fault but my own. Although the source of micro-management isn’t helping.
But the fact is, in the grand scheme of life, in the grand scheme of the universe, petting the sweaty things just isn’t worth it.
And here’s a thing: I wrote this post over the weekend, but Psalm 46:10 showed up as today’s verse of the day in my YouVersion Bible App.
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