Of course, this narrative has nothing to do with the drawing.
“Things happen, let’s just move on.” He said it just like that. I thought about it for a while and we moved on. That was two months ago. I never cared much for him before. Not that I disliked him, he was just insignificant to me. He did his business and I did mine. Sometimes we worked together but now I recall more things that make him okay. Now and then, I think about how easy it is for others to dismiss something and move on. Of course, there was not any moral dilemma involved, just something important we forgot to do, thank goodness, it did not have any adverse consequence.
Yesterday my husband told me about a business meeting he had. The client is faced with staggering expenses due to years of neglect of his property. It is a hefty sum this man has to pay but he replied “I want to do this right. Let’s just move on. Life is too short. I will earn the money through some other means.”
“Things happen, let’s just move on.” He said it just like that. I thought about it for a while and we moved on. That was two months ago. I never cared much for him before. Not that I disliked him, he was just insignificant to me. He did his business and I did mine. Sometimes we worked together but now I recall more things that make him okay. Now and then, I think about how easy it is for others to dismiss something and move on. Of course, there was not any moral dilemma involved, just something important we forgot to do, thank goodness, it did not have any adverse consequence.
Yesterday my husband told me about a business meeting he had. The client is faced with staggering expenses due to years of neglect of his property. It is a hefty sum this man has to pay but he replied “I want to do this right. Let’s just move on. Life is too short. I will earn the money through some other means.”
I notice as I age that most
people with a light heart are also philosophical without being “mental.” Their
ways are simple. There is nothing lavish about them, it seems. Though they have accomplished and achieved a lot, they don’t let their
achievements and successes get into their heads. Those are consolation prizes.
Their greatest gifts, it seems, are a clear head, their light heart, peace of
mind and true friends. They are fun to be around. Their company is desirable.
They have a sense of humor and they exude confidence. Their confidence is contagious. They also make people around them feel secure. Of course I am not always privy to their private moments. Who knows they pull their hair.
Words echo in my brain. Words of
people I love, respect and admired, words of people to whom I listen…something
to this effect “We will find means.” “All will be well.” “We will get through
this.” “Things get better.”
If something bad happened they set
to get it right or at least stop the progression. They never lose hope or
courage. I on the other hand think of all the worst possible things that could
happen and I dread them. It propels me to prevent them from happening, so I scramble. I don’t
know if I am too pessimistic. I admire those who can tread lightly. I notice that
they have a lot of faith. Things are not perfect, in fact awful! God awful. yet
they seem peaceful. They project strength, steely resolve. In observing them, by
being with them you know all will be well in the end.
They pray.
When a fellow analyst underwent surgery,
she asked me to pray. I smiled and said okay. One day I listened to my voice mail at work and there was
a lengthy raspy voice mail thanking me for my prayers and saying “I love you”
and it went on for several minutes. I did not know who it was until the end of the message. Weeks later she returned to
work all perky and happy. She asked if I got her message. I told her I thought it was a prank call at first. She laughed and said, “That was because they just
extubated me! I hardly had any voice but I wanted to talk after being in that respirator for twelve hours,
it was midnight, so I called your office and left you a voice mail.” She was praying woman. She told me once that her problems were too big, so she gave
them all to God. “How did you do that?” I asked. She replied she just told God
to handle her problems. I asked her to explain. What followed was a three year
conversation, and many lunch hours.
Later, another friend told me at
a time when I was faced with adversity, that things get better. I wanted to
believe her, reluctantly. I was too enmeshed in my problems. I forgot to pray.
Prayer is powerful.
Last week at lunch, a fellow analyst told me about
her struggles. I heard myself telling her “Things will get better…”
You don't have to pray but if you do, you have to believe first.
You don't have to pray but if you do, you have to believe first.
