Small & Simple Things

“…by small and simple things are great things brought to pass…”

-       -  Alma 37:6

Two nights ago that scripture popped into my mind and has stayed there, repeating over and over.  Tonight I think I realized why.  The last week or so has been hard, I’ve been emotional and I’ve felt completely out of control.  I’ve felt like I’ve been taking steps back in my healing process and it has confused and bewildered me, and kind of shaken me up.  But several things have become clear tonight.  This is a process, some days are good, some days are bad, every bit of that is part of that process.  Steve and I had a long talk last Friday night, that was the last time I posted, and it was a rough day.  We talked about taking small steps.  He said, “I’m not asking you to take a leap, just make an effort, take a small step”.  I have the tendency to build up these grand schemes in my mind, like I’m going to lose 50 lbs like now, or I’m going to potty train Tommy in 3 days, or I’m going to take over the online retail world by Friday, you know, things like that.  These things are great, they are awesome goals.  But when I put these ideas in my mind and then have a day where things don’t go right, I feel like I have failed.  I’m kind of a person of absolutes, I go all or nothing, and I’m finally starting to realize that it’s maybe not the best way.  This one time I did something awesome, I lost 50 lbs.  On Tommy’s first birthday I made that goal, and with a lot of time and determination I did it.  The day I actually accomplished it was kind of surreal.  It was truly the first time I set a somewhat grandiose goal for myself and accomplished it.  But the difference that time was I finally learned a lesson that my dear husband has been trying to teach me since I have known him, just take one day at a time.  And now again that lesson is important in my life.  I’ve got to take one day at a time.  I’ve got to remember every day that there is a tomorrow.  Bad day? Shake it off and move forward.  There are better days ahead, of that I’m absolutely positive.  "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."  Every day is small and simple, even though some days feel huge and overwhelming and dark.  It’s just one day.