Do you worry about things?  Have you ever allowed yourself to be so consumed by worry that you actually shortened the time you could have actually been enjoying something?

Personally, I think we all have things that bother us from time to time and worrying about the outcome just usually happens.  I’ve heard worrying is our way of telling God how to run the world.  I’ve also heard that worrying causes insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure, ulcers and acid reflux, heart palpitations and several other nasty things. I’m not sure why we do this.  It doesn’t change the outcome or fix anything.  It just makes us miserable mentally and physically if we’re good at it but if you’re like me, it feels rather involuntary.

Yesterday while Don and I were out for a drive, I saw the calculator in my purse and it sparked a memory from my childhood.  It’s a story about why not to worry.  It taught me a valuable lesson and helped me to realize there are some things I just need to enjoy while I can.

I was probably 10 years old.  I remember spying the tiny little package under the Christmas tree that had my name on it.  I had no idea what it could be but when December 25th finally arrived I found out the colorful paper had been hiding a brand new calculator complete with it’s very own faux leather “protective” pouch!  It featured a brushed silver finish surrounding shiny silver keys and an illuminated greenish yellow digital display screen.  It was sleet and sophisticated and it could add, subtract, multiply and divide like you wouldn’t believe!  I was in my glory with this amazing tool.  I was in my glory until the worry of a dead battery began to consume me.  I grew up in a tiny little town so stores that sold calculator batteries and the money it took to buy them weren’t plentiful.  I knew the only way to keep things working would be to use the calculator as little as possible which would save on the battery.  The excitement of having this amazing tool was still there but I knew I needed to limit my usage so that is what I did.  I remember asking my dad where a person would buy new batteries for it and he yelled out, “If they’re not dead yet, don’t worry about it!”  Oh how I wish I had listened.

Spring arrived and my bike was in dire need of a stroll down the road.  Every year it took a while before you got your butt broke in to that bike seat so I decided my first trip would take me across town to my grandma and grandpa’s house.  It would give me a chance to rest my butt on one of their dining room chairs before returning home and it would also give me a chance to show off my shiny silver calculator!  It was small so I slipped it in it’s faux leather case and off we went.  I arrived at my destination and as kids often do, I blurted out the reason for my visit and then proceeded with a demonstration that showed grandma and grandpa all the cool things this amazing calculator had up it’s “sleeve.”  My grandpa commented on the cool lighted greenish yellow display panel and seemed quite impressed with my little helper.  After a bit I snapped the power button into the “off” position and returned the calculator to it’s “protective” sleeve.  We continued visiting and eventually my grandpa spotted a fly buzzing around the room.  He asked me to hand him his fly swatter that was hanging on a nail near my seat.  I took it down and as I was handing it to him I realized it was definitely homemade.  It had a rather heavy gauge wire forming the handle and a piece of thick black rubber attached to the end.  It wasn’t a design that was ready for the production line but you could tell it was definitely not going to have any trouble eliminating anything it came into contact with.

I’m not sure how one fly can create such a raucous but they can and the one buzzing around our heads did.  It would land and then take off and land again.  My grandpa was getting so frustrated so I started visiting with my grandma about something and before long I forgot all about “the hunt” going on.  That is….until…..the fly landed on…..you guessed it, my faux leather calculator case that was holding my precious calculator!!!!  My grandpa swooped in and before I could stop what was about to happen….WHAMMMMMM!  The fly did not survive.  I reluctantly slid the device out of it’s case and it wasn’t looking good.  The beautiful greenish yellow lighted display window was shattered.  I was shattered.  It was possible the calculator might still be able to it’s job but without a screen to display it’s answers, it was useless.

Obviously, I survived and it gave me a chance to think about all the fun I could have had with that calculator had I not been worrying about how I would replace the battery.  I learned that life is meant to be lived and enjoyed.  We shouldn’t wait for circumstances to be perfect.  We shouldn’t worry.  Worrying doesn’t benefit our lives in any way.  It holds us back and forces us to believe it’s in control.   I can’t say I never worry anymore but I am trying to worry only if I can’t find anything better to do and that seems to be working out quite well!