Rise above the daily inconveniences. Inconveniences are only inconveniences. Annoyances are only annoyances. Frustration is only frustration. Who says that everything has to be smooth for you at every moment? You are not to give a high rating to the little matters that you let become big. Save yourself from daily frustration. Annoyances happen. You are the one who rates them as frustration. You are the one who says how momentous they are.
Most inconveniences will resolve themselves one way or another, or you resolve them. There are remedies. You have an important deadline, and your computer doesn’t cooperate. It is not the end of the world, although it may too often seem like that to you.
Tell Me, dear ones, when your computer connection starts to work just fine again, is your happiness quotient as big as your unhappiness quotient was? Probably not. Your jumping for joy doesn’t begin to jump to the height your frustration did. Is this not so?
Have you convinced yourself that the negative aspects of life are more noteworthy than the positive aspects of life? What would you do that for? It would appear that frustration makes the grade while smooth-running is just so-so and taken for granted. A thorn in your side seems to merit far more attention. It is as if you are under the spell of thorns.
A little difficulty gets your attention all right. Of course, you tend to think it is a mammoth difficulty. Change that around. Don’t let the squeaky wheel get all the grease. Give plaudits to all the matters that you presently take for granted. Consider them your children. Give them a pat on the back. Think big, beloveds. Details in life also deserve encouragement.
Thank God for smooth-running of the Universe, even the Universe of your immediate environment. And even if you stub your toe, thank God, you have a toe to stub.
If everything at the office seems to be an impediment today, thank God for all the times everything ran well. Be fair. Be fair-minded. A little appreciation goes a long way.
If you get a flat, don’t kick your tire. The tire did its best. Now, you do yours.
Frustration is not to be the master of your life. Flexibility and kindness -- let’s say it – are to be the masters of your life. Love is to be the master of your life. That is, you are to master love in the little things. This is your challenge. And this is your destiny. You are to be a good sport and take inconveniences graciously. Even a torrent of rain has its favorable aspects. It waters the flowers. It is small-sighted to think only of your personal convenience or inconvenience.
Deal well with the small matters. This flexes your muscles. Promote yourself to a higher grade of response. This is how you are to live day by day. This isn’t too much to ask of you, is it?
Be unspoiled, beloveds. Take life in your stride. No internal or external tantrums, agreed? If there is a day when you can’t seem to make your day-to-day life better, then make the lives of others around you better. Give someone else some good fortune. How quickly whatever you have been going through will settle down, that is: You will settle down. You will put your feet up and a pillow under your head, and you will recline, and you will know that life is good no matter what it looked like to you a moment ago.
Give yourself an idea that you are the blessed of the blessed. You can see the sun shine, and you can feel the fresh rain. It’s okay if your clothes, dried outside on the line earlier, get wet again. They will dry again. Nothing is lost. Everything is gained. You are moving forward. This is what you do. This is how you make progress. One foot after the other. And all is well, even when you are not convinced. If it is possible for you to see this wisdom later, you might as well see it now.
