I should preface that statement though. Nothing tragic has happened. There has been no major catastrophe that occurred and has left me alone or penniless. Instead, it's been the little things.
And little things add up fast.
It's not just dealing with people's foul moods occasionally as you struggle to help them as a part of your job, but the constant barrage of people thinking you aren't qualified to help, or simply don't want help. It's not just one homework assignment or one test, but finding yourself with three projects, seven assignments and two tests all in one week. It's not just graduation, but struggling to figure out what to do with your life afterwards, and wonder why you spent four years in college besides gaining an impressive amount of debt.
And it doesn't go away, it just escalates.
All this makes me very grateful for the people God has put in my life. Especially one who has been reminding me recently that it's not just the annoying little things that make up our life. Little victories can be found as well.
And little things add up fast.
My friend has Cerebral Palsy that, as she states, makes her a bit wobbly. Despite having this, she has the most amazing stories from growing up. If you want the best high school stories, just ask her. The one that really struck me was the day she learned to tie her shoes.
To the average person, tying our shoes is such a basic and unthoughtful event. For my friend, she had difficulty gripping things, so she never really learned how, just assumed she wouldn't be able to and found shoes that she didn't need to tie. Her best friend disagreed. He spent hours one day, helping her learn how, because he saw, as I see every day, her disability doesn't define her. And now, she knows how to tie her shoes. And tells everyone this story because it shows one thing:
Small things matter.
Because with the tiny things that add to your burden, there are small things that lighten it as well. Sometimes, we forget the victories and focus on the defeats. At least, I know I do.
So, as I push through to graduation, I'm sticking close to those who remind me of the victories, not the defeats. David fought off the giant with a small stone, so too will I fight off my giants.
One small victory at a time.
