Not So Crappy

Dear TEAMS,

It seems a recurring theme both in my Nutrition Counseling clients’ lives and the lives of you kids lately:  life is hard, and it may not get easier.  (Although, forgive me for thinking that being stressed about college classes even holds a candle to being married to a mentally ill husband…but I want to honor and respect that you are in a hard place.)

It is human nature to long for days upon days of ease.  Or, maybe we just want to have that zest for life again.  Or even more, maybe we want to simply look forward to getting up in the morning, delighted that we have good things in store waiting for us.  These times come, all from the Father’s merciful hand, and it brings such joy.  And, we have to play a part in creating this as well by guarding our hearts and minds and taking every thought captive.

But for the times when our circumstances suck…I mean REALLY suck because things beyond our control are happening all around us and it appears that they might continue for a while…I wanted to give you all some advice that I have found has practically allowed me to get through the events and circumstances that wage war with my thought life.  It boils down to this:

Sometimes in life, you need to understand that the battle isn’t between having a good day or a crappy day, it’s between having a crappy day or a not-so-crappy day.

I can’t tell you the number of nights I have gone to bed and felt victorious because I had a not-so-crappy day.  Everything around me still was the same as when I woke up that morning, but at least I wasn’t ruled by it.  I could do nothing about my circumstances (and I have had some doozies!) and looked to have more of the same in 8 hours when I woke up tomorrow, but at least I had done everything I could to make sure what could thrive was thriving, and what could survive was surviving.  To have chosen to do less than I had, and the day would have surely tipped into the “crappy” category…which would have been worse.

The interesting thing about this is the comfort this somehow brings.  Somehow, when you know you only have to attain “Not so crappy,” things automatically seem easier to swallow.  You can walk around better accepting your circumstances, because you know they aren’t supposed to look good.  And enjoyably, you can even laugh a little at the crap all around you.  Because in the end, at least your circumstances really aren’t REALLY crappy.

My mother’s heart never wants you to have to choose between these two, but my human heart knows someday you will have to.  I hope you choose to really work hard for the “Not so crappy.”  It will be difficult, and you will question if it’s worth it.  But the satisfaction at attaining it will be infinitely better in all aspects.

Love, 

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