Yesterday at 6:20 am I got in my car to go to work, turned the key, and click. I tried again. Nothing. I asked my husband to jump it for me, hoping it was just a dead battery. (That was unlikely since the battery was less than two-years old). It didn’t work. We called AAA and they tried to jump it. That didn’t work either. Then the nice man from the towing company loaded my car onto his 5-month old flatbed and took it to the mechanic around the corner. A short-time later they called and said it was the starter. I prayed the cost wouldn’t be more than $500. It was $499.97. (I should have prayed it wouldn’t be more than $300–haha). Stuff happens and then more stuff happens. These are the things in life that what we can’t control. What we can work on, though, is the level of anxiety that gets aroused when life interrupts our plans and sense of security. I wish I could say that I’ve nailed it; I haven’t. I have improved though. Now my reaction is somewhere around anxiety-level four instead of anxiety-level ten. That’s progress. (In part this is a result of establishing Plan B: introducing my children to the idea that they may have to take care of me some day. They’re still talking to me so that’s a good sign). The truth is a bad starter, while not in the budget, is not that big of a deal in the whole scope of life. If we don’t sweat the small stuff, when bigger challenges rear their ugly heads, we just may have the emotional reserves to effectively handle them. So, when the orange juice spills or the baseball goes through the window, take a deep breath and then have a good day anyway.
Amy Wildman White 