Useful Advice

Today I am participating in Blogtember, a September blogging challenge created by Story of My Life, allowing bloggies to just sit down and write. September is going to be a nutso month for the hubby and I, so I may not be able to partake in all of the prompts, but was particularly keen on today's.

Rewind back a few months.  It was early morning in late winter, and probably still fairly dark outside.  I had walked up to the main office/coffee shop at work, probably to grab a coffee to warm me up and check the mail.  I bumped into one of my favorite coworkers, who was warming up his morning coffee.  We got to chatting and he could see something was on my mind and that I was frustrated.  Without asking what it was, or trying to solve my problems, he asked me a simple question, something that will forever stick with me.

"Will it matter 5 years from now?" he asked.

After a long pause, I said, "No".

He followed it by, "Then why worry about it now?"

I wish I could tell you what was bothering me at the time, but it obviously wasn't that important.

I've always let things get to me, big or small.  I don't like to call myself a worrier, but it's what I am.  That simple question made so much sense. Why am I stressing over a situation that has no bearing on the future? Why am  I am putting all of my energy into something that doesn't matter and that I probably won't even remember?  Just like what was troubling me that day.

This summer has not be the easiest.  It has presented us with many unknowns and road blocks, and as newlyweds, I'd be lying if I said it hasn't challenged our relationship. But, every time something has frustrated me, upset me or stressed me out, I go back to that early winter morning conversation in the coffee shop and that simple question I have now learned to ask myself.