This is what happens when you're desperate
simple things have surprising power
Honeybun, heads up there’s a paywall partway through this post. That means if you aren’t a paying subscriber you won’t be able to read the whole thing. I hope you choose to join me on the other side. This isn’t meant to be a barrier to anyone but is a way for people to support my work as well as a place for me to put some of my writing that isn’t available for public consumption. I wanted to give you a heads up because I know how annoying it is when you get partway into a post you’re enjoying and there’s a paywall. Whether you join me as a paying subscriber or not I want to thank you very much for being here, it means a lot. xoxo Donna
One thing about me is the need for a visual reminder. I think it’s genetic because my Mom had hundreds of tiny notes scattered around her house. It used to drive me nuts, all those little pieces of paper floating around, making up a life. So, in an effort to be more organized, I’ve upped my game and use yellow stickies instead. But, because it’s hereditary, sometimes I need hundreds of them and when things get serious they may all say the same thing!
This all started when my Mom gave me one of the little booklets filled with recipes and sayings that her church ladies produced every year. I cherished the annual booklets and often found some solid advice amidst a recipe for green-jellied-salad-with-marshmallows.
As these things often go, what jumped out from that book was the message I needed most. It landed on me as I was preparing to write my national board exams in two countries – extensive and intense tests lasting days. Even though I was studying like crazy, I was very worried about them (petrified with fear is more like it because the pass rate was low and we only got two attempts at the exams).
That message became my anchor in the storm, helping me through a tough time. Since we’re often given what we need, just when we need it the most, this phrase randomly popped into my mind again in the last few days. As soon as I heard the echoes of it in my head there was a sense of relief. Oh I know it won’t cure all the problems but it’s a great reminder that I might be able to let go of the steering wheel.