In2theRiver

Good morning from Westminster, MD!

Standing in my house, staring at my kitchen table, I could feel my blood pressure rising and my vision narrowing. Why was it so cluttered? With two kids under the age of 5, clutter is a part of our life. Regularly, my wife, Jen, will clean something up during the day only to have the “toddler tornado” leave a path of destruction in their wake. Honestly, I do not know how she does it and maintains her sanity. Still, the mess on the table had me particularly bothered. Never mind the fact that the mess was at least half mine, mail I had opened and left for “filing”. It wasn’t that I was frustrated at someone for the mess. It was the stress that is created from living in disorder. Except, that it wasn’t.

When I finally broke my stare, I looked around realized the house was actually quite clean and organized (thanks for the best wife on the planet!). The clutter on the table was not my problem. My issue was my inability to see the bigger picture. Had I zoomed out, I would have realized the mess on the table was only a tiny percentage of my overall house. My limited perspective had hijacked my brain, preventing me from appreciating the size of the problem in relation to my reality.

This can be a bit comical when it comes to messes on the a kitchen table, but it is not nearly as funny when it affects our actual lives. How often do I get stuck in one spot because I fail to see the opportunities around me? How often do I allow small issues in my life to keep me from enjoying abundance of blessings that far outweigh them? How many times have I allowed frustration to prevent me from making the most of my time with my wife and kids? Maybe you can relate.

I am now thankful for that clutter on the table. It reminded me to take a step back. To stop allowing the small frustrations of life to hold my hostage and instead to open my eyes to the opportunity I have to truly live. I hope you will choose to do the same. We only get the chance to live this moment once. Don’t be distracted by the clutter.

James Belt