I don’t want to look on the bright side. Lately, after my ankle surgery I have been feeling pretty down. Who can blame me? It has been almost a month already and I still have 2 more months before I can walk again.
I’m a proud guy. So, for the first week after surgery it was frustrating not being able to go to the bathroom without someone helping me get there.
It is killing me not being able pick up my little girl. I miss chasing her around the living room and giving her piggyback rides.
It Is frustrating that I get winded just crutching to the kitchen and back.
I get mad that doing the simplest thing like pouring a glass of water, taking a shower, or taking out the trash has become next to impossible for me without asking for help.
Needless to say, I have had better days. Patience is not one of my strong points. Waiting for my leg to heal is killing me.
And if you have ever been through a rough patch, you know that you always hear the same advice from well-meaning people. They all say, “Look on the bright side.”
If you are like me, that drives you crazy. Doesn’t it?
I don’t want to look on the bright side… I’M IN PAIN! I don’t want to look on the bright side… I WANT TO WALK!
I have every right to be a little frustrated. I have every right to be a little sad right now. Don’t tell me to look on the bright side! You have no idea what I am going through…
Unfortunately, as much as I don’t want to hear their advice, deep down I know they are right.
At some point, I have to crawl out of my hole, put on a weak smile, face reality and move forward. But it takes time before I am ready to get there.
Well, I turned the corner recently and decided it was time to make the transition to looking on the bright side.
I decided to look for the blessings in the bad. I even made a list.
- When I go to Walmart, I can now ride motorized shopping cart! You know you have secretly always wanted to do that. Admit it.
- On my crutches I am building a ton of upper body strength. I will soon be able to drop jokes like, “Do you have a band-aid, because I’m cut.” (flex biceps)
- I am blessed that it is my left leg, because with my right leg I can still drive a car… if I’m not on medication.
- God is teaching me things like humility and patience,
- I get all sorts of cool nicknames like gimpy, tripod, frankenankle and the one-legged pastor.
- The worst part is over. Every day I am little better than the day before.
- God is teaching me that I am not invincible. My body will eventually fail me. But God will never fail me.
The Bible is right when it says:
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
– Proverbs 17:22
I feel better when I shift my perspective to all the blessings God has given me, instead of whining about the bad. As much as I don’t like the advice, it’s true. At some point, you have to look on the bright side.
The next time life deals you a bad hand, maybe you should make a list too.
What blessings have come from the bad in your life?