Have you ever noticed how you can break a bone or get a huge gash and it’s not nearly as impactful as a smaller, less serious injury? My nail broke–not a real problem–and it hurts so much that it’s become a distraction. I almost feel embarrassed to admit that it’s even bothering me, let alone that it’s causing me to become preoccupied.
People who know me have said that I have dealt with some astronomically difficult challenges in my first half-century. Yet, I’m still alive, still living. I am not in any way diminishing the “big” problems I’ve faced but it seems like my natural inclination is to give a weight to much more minor issues, that is incongruent with their size. I don’t believe that any one person should trivialize the pain of another, so I speak only on my own behalf.
I hate conflict but I will not back down from a fight–particularly when I am fighting on behalf of a person who I consider family. What I am learning is that sometimes I have to walk away from a fight because even a “win” would not constitute a positive or favorable outcome. Bear with me as I learn the distinction.
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