October 4, 2023 “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have none at all,” I told my friend. I think we’ve all had those times in our lives when everything seems to go wrong. I was in one of those times. I was overwhelmed. I was struggling. A friend of mine knew I wasn’t doing well, and he invited me to visit and go out to dinner. While this friend and I text regularly, he lives an hour from me, so I don’t see him often. Reunited, my friend and I caught up about where we were on our journeys. It was a conversation about several very heavy topics. The conversation continued into our dinner outing, as did the heaviness. And then came the moment of light. “Woah! Look at the smile on her face,” I said to my friend, gesturing to a young child being held by her father, who was spinning and dancing to music that was being played at the restaurant. “It’s like she’s smiling with her whole body! Her little shrieks and giggles are beautiful! There’s so much joy there!” My friend and I sat for a moment just appreciating the music and the moment of beauty and joy, watching the little girl very happily dancing with her dad. When the duo ended their dance and thanked the musician, the moment of light didn’t escape us. My friend and I reflected on the moment. We both knew it was a gift from God – a moment of joy, love, beauty and light when we needed one, and a reprieve from the darkness and gloom. I have a bad habit of getting bogged down in moments and losing sight of the bigger picture. When I’m in a period of bad luck, it’s easy for me to feel like the whole world is bad or life is just bad. God is constantly giving me these reminders that it isn’t true. He reminds me that there is always goodness, love and beauty, because He is always there, and He IS goodness, love and beauty. And because I have a good and loving God, and because he’s gifted me with amazing family and friends, I have it all, even when I don’t feel like it. |
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