Friday, May 24, 2013

How do you handle disappointments?

I have been planning our family annual Memorial Day camping trip for this weekend for at least a few weeks now.  We used to go every year for 4 to 5 days.  However, with our daughter being born on Memorial Day weekend 2 years ago, we haven't been able to go the last few years, and I was so glad that we were finally getting back to our normal routine.  I have been working quite a bit of overtime to pay for the extra hospital bills from my surgery in January, so I couldn't think of anything better than having some uninterrupted time with my family to reconnect.  Unfortunately, due to bad weather, we have not been able to get the camper out until this morning for me to clean and pack for the trip, and we're supposed to be leaving this afternoon.  When we finally got it out and opened at 6 am today, the mice had gotten into the camper again for the 2nd year in a row, despite my attempts to pack it with things that are supposed to keep them out.  They have chewed through many more spots in the canvas and also through all the new curtains I made last year to replace the ruined ones.

What I really wanted to do when my husband started cranking it up and I could see what had happened, was scream, cry, and throw a temper tantrum like my soon-to-be 2-year-old!  But instead, I chose to stand and enjoy the sunshine for a minute, figure out a plan of how I could get things done today so we can hopefully still go this weekend (but probably not until tomorrow), and read my bible/devotional and pray about it.  While I am still disappointed about the time I won't be getting to spend relaxing with my family, I feel so much better than if I would have lost it and made myself feel even worse.  

How we react when we are disappointed says a lot about us, in my opinion.  If we choose to dwell on the negative feelings, it will just make things bigger than they really are.  Something that happened today will still be bothering us next week or next month.  Instead, I have been intentionally trying to create an action plan of something I can do to make myself feel better about the situation and been trying to let things go.  "It is what it is" has become one of my most-used phrases.  Why waste precious energy being upset over something that can't be changed anyways?

I hope you all have a blessed weekend and remember that Memorial Day is about remembering all of those people who have sacrificed so we can live in this country and be free to speak our minds and enjoy all of our other freedoms.  Take a moment to thank a soldier or a soldier's family for all that they do!