I tend to rise to the occasion for the big things, for the crises. But I get worn down by the little things, the things that drag out and go on and on.
Last week little things got to me. It was cold and the snow-covered ground had officially become the long-term norm. I hate winter more with each passing year. This year I had done practically well with it, until last week.
My little eye surgery hurt just enough to be annoying and I could not focus on detail work because my vision was simply too blurry. Everything that I needed to do was detail work. So, I had trouble accomplishing much. I gain energy and gratification through accomplishment.
These are little things that don’t even make the list of significant life obstacles. When I read of how people overcome serious handicaps, I feel like a whimp, but I suspect my malady is common.
The important things tend to be slogs. They are characterized by significant long-term challenges and have their ups and downs. Riddled with mistakes and surprises, they stretch out over a long period of time. I am thinking of marriage, parenting, career-building, and remodeling projects.
It’s a wonderful feeling when you check something off of your do-to-list quicker than you think, but it is rare. With the big things, you will mess up, you will get frustrated, you will loose heart at times along the way.
That’s when the crisis ensues, and you ask yourself, “Is this thing worth fighting for?” The important things usually are.
