This may not be the thing for you to read if you have just had a birthday, or just heard the baby's heartbeat. Those are times of pure joyous celebration, and this isn't a celebratory post. However, DO save this for later, because at some point you will need it.
I've heard enough doom and gloom about the Presidential Election that even I, who am not a joiner, and not a believer in promises of bread and circuses, have been known to get a grump about the results. I should have known, when the utter inane rhetoric began to irritate me, that something else was in the pipeline that was going to make it look insignificant.
The Greater always drives out the Lesser. You are at work, ands your petty boss makes a petty comment about your performance; then you get a phone call from your husband; they have found a tumor in his neck, and need to do more tests. Suddenly, the greater drives out the lesser. The silly fussiness of your boss reveals itself for what it is, and you just want him to get out of your way so you can punch the time clock and go home.
It's not always bad; at the last minute, a deal on your new house falls through, and you've already enrolled your kids in a new district.Then, out of the blue, a much better house appears on the markey, same school district, and within a week, you have a new place.
There are two things I am NOT saying:
1. "Enjoy it while you can, because disaster is on the way." Nope, nope, nope. That's a destructively pessimistic outlook which would strip you of your ability to enjoy present truth, in favor of torturing you with bad consequences that haven't arrived.
2. "Oh, that's nothing, wait until _____ happens." A LONG time ago I had a boss who simply adored saying this to me in varied circumstances. I do not know why; it was inconsistent with the genuine affection she showed others, and me in particular; it was like this was some sort of verbal spasm that had to pass out of her mouth on certain occasions. She couldn't POSSIBLY know the effect she had on others when that erupted from her mouth; she was too nice to MEAN harm.
Disregard BOTH of these approaches, as they are harmful and untrue. When you are experiencing joy, then hold on to that joy; when you are experiencing pain, it is YOURS to experience, and you dare not deny it, just because there are other theoretical worse outcomes.
But, it is true, that in time, the Greater will drive out the Lesser. This is a good thing; even in the case of a greater trauma coming along. Quickly, we discover how petty our other concerns were, even while realizing they may require a second resolution.
More likely than not, the really great trauma does us the favor of knocking us on our knees, where we can only cry "Father! Abba Father"
Truthfully, it's where we live at all times.
