“If our education had included training to bear unpleasantness and to let the first shock pass until we could think more calmly, many an unbearable situation would become manageable, and many a nervous illness avoided.” ~ Claire Weekes
In a world where most people are not consistently giving their highest and finest you are bound to run into unpleasant situations every now and again, if not daily. The world we have is the result of the choices we’ve made collectively, and no matter how perfectly you’ve carried yourself in the midst of the chaos you are bound to feel the results of poor choices being made elsewhere.
Ask the toe who in and of himself would be healthy and strong were it not for the mouth who found an overly rich diet irresistible. Gout may be his burden even though it might not be his fault directly. So it is in the body of humanity. We may not all be visibly connected to one another, but the causal ricochets of the choices made and actions taken by others impact us constantly.
Realizing this, we needn’t be shocked when things don’t go as expected or when we encounter an unexpected rough patch. You can broaden your scope of expectation – anything can happen! – and resolve to make the most out of whatever does.
The vicissitudes of life are much more manageable than some would have you think. If you didn’t learn this lesson at home or at school while growing up, who says you can’t learn it now?
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