Be glad about what's not going wrong

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 5, 2022)

It's easy to focus on our problems; on what's going wrong. It's harder to notice what's not going wrong right now. It's good to find a balance between the two.

I'm thankful we didn't have a devastating hurricane blow through this area last week. I'm also glad we aren't in the middle of a violent war, trying to defend our homes from the military of an invading government from a neighboring country. Not everyone in the world can say the same. Shouldn't we be grateful for the problems we don't have?

Nothing is perfect. If you look hard enough you can find things to worry about anywhere. In this region, we are vulnerable to an uncertain water supply, made worse by an unending drought, but nothing immediate is threatening us right now.

We all have our individual day-to-day troubles. We'd still have those even if some horrible external event were affecting us, too. Maybe even if it were crowding our personal problems from our minds. In that case, we'd have all our mundane problems made worse by some life-threatening threat piled on top. As it is, you have the opportunity to face your individual trouble without the distractions of civilization crumbling around you. Take advantage of this chance. It may not last forever.

This is one reason I think it's a good idea to be a prepper: it relieves some of the pressure so you can focus on the things we all face daily without having to worry about some big "what if" sneaking up on you. If you don't have to worry about running out of food, water, or toilet paper you can spend more time thinking about how to improve your health or your relationships. Or working on a hobby you enjoy.

I'm not suggesting you bury your head in the sand or ignore potential threats until it's too late. Pay attention, but don't let yourself be distracted from living your life. Again, finding the right balance is the key.

We are at the mercy of nature and politics. You can't control hurricanes or wars. You can be prepared for things outside of your control so they don't cause as much harm as they might otherwise.

Be happy when those things you can't control aren't wrecking your life. Let yourself enjoy whatever you can. Occasionally stop and be glad about the things that aren't going wrong.

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