Robert J. Sawyer
How much happier would I be (and have been) if I had learned the fine art of ignoring things. I would certainly have been happier during the years when my children were growing up had I ignored messes--piled up dishes, clothes stewn on the bedroom floor, toast crumbs on the counter, and a host of other mini messes. (My children would have been happier as well without a mother who was always nagging them.)
What else should I ignore? What about the driver who cut in front of me without warning? What about the unkind remark that someone thoughtlessly made?
If I would be happier ignoring small things, would I also be happier paying attention to bigger things? Would I feel better about myself and others if I paid greater attention to what is important to them? What if I made a point to celebrate with them each accomplishment? What if I made an effort to find things to praise about them? What if?
This I know for sure: ignoring small things is an art. Paying attention to big things is also an art. Learning the difference is wisdom.
What an interesting post. I'd never really thought about the subject of ignoring before but yes, we probably would all be a bit happier if we could just ignore some things and let them slide.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm not to good at ignoring. I try, but a single tread keeps pulling me back: worry. Will the crumbs on the counter attract ants?
ReplyDeleteDo you have a pair of scissors for the worry thread? I seem to have a few hanging out of the tapestry of my life.
You know, I had a dear friend whose kids were all teens when I had toddlers/infants. The greatest parental advice I ever got from her was: pick your battles. You want to win the war and not every battle is important enough to win. I do wish I'd learned to apply it to life in general, though. Ignore the small things, pay greater attention to the big things...I guess it's never too late to start.
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