This past Wednesday was, um, interesting.
As I moved through the events of the day (including losing my wallet and taking a nasty spill off my front porch) I found myself swinging back and forth from viewing the events as a tragedy to viewing them as a comedy. In the tragedy version, I was cursed. My life was terrible and unfair. There was a lot of crying and feeling sorry for myself and seeking pity.
In the comedy version, I was blessed. Yes, problems kept coming, but I had a clear sense that those obstacles were ultimately leading me to a very happy ending. There was a lot of laughing and feeling hopeful and finding silver linings.
Even though I wasn’t able to recognize my day as a comedy at every turn, I was able to see it through that lens often enough to see what a dramatic difference it makes. I was deeply struck by the fact that we really, truly get to tell the story of our lives and we can tell that story however we want to tell it. The same basic facts can be shared as joyful or dreadful based on our perspective.
If you’ve ever lost your wallet, you know the drill. Say goodbye to any cash or personal items. Cancel the credit and bank cards. Get a new license, new insurance cards, etc.
I could very easily tell you the story of what terrible timing this was in my life. We’re in a new, unfamiliar town. We have terrible to non-existent cell phone reception at our new place and new phones don’t arrive until next week. Do you know how hard it is to cancel a credit card with shoddy phone reception? We’re busy trying to finish unpacking and dealing with all the many tasks associated with moving and now we have to deal with a lost wallet? What a nightmare!
Then again, I could tell a very different story. I could tell you that this was really the perfect time to lose a wallet. First of all, I have to get a new license anyway, since we just moved. New insurance cards, too. Same goes with all those other cards - grocery store, library, etc. I had less than $20 in cash in my wallet, so that’s no big deal. The only inconvenience, really, was canceling the credit and bank cards. I only have one of each, and both are through the same bank. How convenient! Oh, and let me not forget to add that my husband made that phone call for me. I just happen to be married to the greatest guy in the world who is ready and willing to do anything to help me out when I’m having a hard time. Do you feel sorry for me now? I’m guessing not.
And there you have it. We get to tell our very own stories. Every single one of us. Even if your circumstances are lightyears beyond a lost wallet in terms of difficulty, you still have the amazing choice to see joy. To create joy. To share joy.
I’m fairly certain that no matter how hard you or I try, we won’t manage to see the positive spin 100% of the time, and that’s okay. But let’s all see if we can glimpse it every now and then and maybe write just a few more comedies than tragedies.
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I completely concur. The faster you can laugh about something, the quicker it blows over (yes, I know how hard this is sometimes). Otherwise, you start to get a bit paranoid that everyone including God is out to get you!
However, it amazes me how so many of these little things happen around the same time–your episodes are certainly a case in point. Do you have any theories on why this is?
Susan — I’m baffled by the “when it rains it pours” thing, too. I do think that losing my wallet and falling down had to do with a lack of mindfulness. I think that maybe when one “bad” thing happens, I get rattled, which can very quickly lead to other complications.
That sounds about right to me. Not being mindful will make a lot of things happen that will, if nothing else, cause you to have to slow down, get your center back and let go of being angry, upset, etc. Until you do get back to center, things usually just keep happening that will eventually push you there , You will keep dropping things, losing things, breaking things, forgetting things. I know this from personal experience. Yes, you are so lucky to have a husband who will help you out even when he is busy, too.
I hope you are ok from the fall. Those things can shake you up. If you were still in C/ville I would send you to my wonderful Network Chiropractor (the non-crack kind) who would check you out and straighten out any potential problems. Anyway, hope all is well. Love you!
Hey Jean! The fall was traumatic and left me with some minor scrapes and bruises, but I seem to be doing fine other than that. Big relief! Imagine going to the emergency room without a wallet!
Love you, too!
Joy,
What a truly wonderful way to re-frame this event, and see the brighter side of it all!! And — I LOVE it!!
I’m drawn to a quote I very much love:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl
You…in your power of choice…chose to see this all through the lens of good.…
Lance´s last [type] ..Music For The Soul
Hey Lance! Oh, I love that quote! Thanks so much for adding it! Perfect.
First, I’m new to your blog (via Christie @ Honoring Health!) and am really enjoying it. I love this post because I believe that our realities are completely determined by our perceptions — or stories, as you say. I particularly loved the example of the wallet beacuse I lose my wallet (and pretty much everything else not attached to my body) constantly. Recently — over the past year probably — I have suddenly been able to stop turning the event into a tragedy and have literally started laughing at myself — not in a ha-ha kind of way, unforunately, but in a “Oh the irony…” kind of way — which still makes me laugh and is better than crying!
Ashely, this is one of my favorite things about blogging: having someone new pop over, and then clicking on their site and finding major good stuff! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I look forward to exploring your blog more.