Keeping Problems In Proportion

A girl left a note for her mother:

"Mom, I know this is going to break your heart, but I fell in love with an Arab and I'm running away to live in his village. I feel bad hurting you, but I'm in love."

P.S. I just wanted to let you know there are things in life worse than the report card in my top dresser drawer.

The next day her father sent her a text message:

"Dear daughter, your note wasn't very funny. Your mother had a heart attack and is in bad shape in the hospital.

P.S. There are worse things in life than the trouble you're going to have when you get home today..."

Sometimes we become so focused on one problem that it totally consumes us and we can't see past it.. Then something larger comes along and suddenly the thing that felt overwhelming yesterday looks much smaller today.

Shlomo HaMelech writes:

"וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר"
"Reproof and correction are the path of life." (Mishlei 6:23)

Part of growing is learning to see things in their proper proportion.

That does not mean our problems are not real. It means not every problem deserves to become a catastrophe.

A bad report card is a problem.
A health crisis is a bigger problem.

A difficult day is a problem.
Losing sight of all the good in our lives is a bigger one.

The challenge is not to deny our struggles. The challenge is to keep perspective.