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Seeking Clarity

The Urgent Care doctor seemed incredibly concerned. Instead of treating us there in her office, she instructed us to gather our things and prepare to go to the Emergency Room.

Emergency Room? That didn't sound right.

And in a split second, what I thought was likely a benign, treatable illness had become something so much more. With her one comment, my mind sped forward 2000 scenes and it was a new movie, new script, and a sad ending. There was nothing she said in particular at that moment that made me create this new movie, it was all in my head. But, it felt so much more like nonfiction than fiction. 

Thankfully, the ER doctor took some time assessing the situation and determined there was not a cause for grave concern. But in that long hour, between Urgent Care and ER, trepidation had already painted some scenes and had already staged them out in my mind. Places everyone!

Shame on me. I knew better than that.

I know that positive thoughts always make the biggest impact. I know how wasteful jumping to conclusions can be. But, at that moment, I was tired from a long few days at work (filled with some specks of toughness), and I wasn't thinking clearly. This Mama Bear was in full steam ahead mode. My brain was misfiring.

The same rush to judgment is seen every time any of us hear a piece of a conversation about someone else and assume the worst. It's the same when we decide to paint a picture of doom about something or someone when we have the same colors that we can use to paint a picture of hope.

When we slow down and fully assess a situation, we always learn more.  There's a whole lot more to be thankful for than we likely realize. It's what we choose to believe in that moment that helps us find that. We need to seek the moments of clarity and avoid the moments of panic. It's a matter of focusing on hope and the desire to genuinely make things better.

It's an intentional practice about knowing what you truly believe in and then sticking to that.



I Believe Most People Are Good - Luke Bryan



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