Just a Glass

My morning started off with a filled dish rack waiting to be emptied and a needed dish for my daughter's breakfast. Instead of patiently taking out one by one, I grab from the bottom and hope to pull out the dish without anything falling.  To my dismay, the glass from the top of the pile crashes to the ground in slow motion.  I begin my day with
broken glass.  My baby girl simply keeps watching me, silently, from her high chair.  I can only imagine her thoughts to be.. 'What happened and how is mommy going to react?'

A million thoughts are running through my head. Thoughts of frustration at myself and (if possible) the glass, thoughts of irritation, and thoughts of anger towards the day.

"Why did this have to happen?"

"Why am I not more patient?"

"Why did I put that glass on top of the pile yesterday?"

"What was I thinking??"

"I REALLY liked that glass."

"What a waste of money."

"I always break everything."

"This is going to be the worst day."

Amidst these loud and angry thoughts, I hear a still, small voice simply say - "You have a choice."  I listened to the voice...I have a choice?  I took a breath.  I did have a choice.  I could choose to now make this day a bad and frustrating day.  I could choose to let a broken glass effect my relationships, my work for the day, my mothering abilities.  I could choose to allow this broken glass to take over.  

OR I could choose to let it pass.  I could choose to take out my broom, sweep up the mess, and move on to making my daughter's breakfast.  I could choose to be thankful that no one got hurt.  I could choose to see the good in the rest of my day.  I could choose to think of it as just a glass.  

We always have a choice.  We have a choice as to how we will react to those unexpected, frustrating moments.  

Try this today:  Take a breath.  Say a prayer.  Let it pass.

It's JUST a glass.