Let's Go Eat Some Worms!

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I’ll eat some worms!

Big, fat, juicy ones: Itty, bitty, little ones! Just as long as they squirm!

I don’t see how birds can eat them three times a day!

Without a pickle!

Now, some of you probably sang along to that and chuckled as you remembered singing that as a child.

The rest of you probably think I have completely lost my mind!  (The jury is still out on that one.)

This past week I had a friend who was just having a rough day.  Nothing really big or overly bad happened; it was just one of those days.

You know the days I am talking about, right?  Those days where you feel alone, that everything is wrong, and nobody is there for you.  Now, let’s go eat some worms.

Ok, well,  don’t actually go eat some worms.  That would be a little gross.  But we have all probably felt that way before, just down.  Maybe you want to call it a pity party.  I have thrown so many of these parties for myself.

I distinctly remember two conversations I have had regarding these types of situations. 

The first one, I was talking to one of my priest friends and they were asking a lot of questions about me and my life. 

My parents divorced when I was 15 months and the relationship that I have with my father is not what you would call “ideal”. 

When this subject came up my friend asked, “How do you deal with that?  That is not an easy thing to go through!”

Well, it took a long time but I finally had convinced myself that no matter what happens, there are worse things in the world.  Why should I let this really get to me when there are so many other things going on that make this seem so small.

Another time I was talking to another friend.  They were asking me about something that had recently happened in my life.  Nothing really that important but at the time it was just really bothering me.  Instead of talking about it or reacting to it, I just again thought, well there are worse things, kept it to myself, and just went about my business.

While whatever had my feeling down was so unimportant that I have no idea what it was, but I still remember the lesson I learned.

Even though this very ordinary event, this non memorable occurrence, has very little effect on my life today, it WAS affecting my life that day.

I have found that when we experience these events in our lives, we tend to create these fake scenarios.  We want to play out the situations to find a solution or rehearse a conversation but play the role of every involved.  This may sound very strange but it is also something I am sure most of us have done.

I remember on that day I was talking to my friend and I said “Oh, it is nothing.  It’s not real, it’s just something in my head.  I’ll be alright.”

It is real.

That was their response. 

Even though this was something so small and irrelevant, it was real to me.  It had an affect on my attitude and was something that was on my mind.  You could say I was having my own pity party that day. 

Just like my answer to my friend that was a priest,  eh, it’s not that big a deal.  Worse things have happened.

I just pushed it back and buried it deeply inside of me.  Nice and safe, right?

Even the smallest thing that is on your mind…

It is real.

It is ok to talk to someone about your own problems.  When you are feeling alone, remember that you are not. 

You are surrounded by people who care.  People who love you.  People who will gladly sit and listen to you complain about anything in the world.  No matter the size of the problem, they will sit there and listen.  Because they know it is real.

I leave you today with a poem by Roger Pinches.  It’s message it a simple one that is sometimes difficult for us to remember.  Especially when we are feeling a little bit down.

When the road seems too long
When darkness sets in
When everything turns out wrong 
And you can't find a friend 
Remember - you are loved

When smiles are hard to come by
And you're feeling down
When you spread your wings to fly
And can't get off the ground 
Remember - you are loved 

When time runs out before you're through 
And it's over before you begin 
When little things get to you 
And you just can't win
Remember - you are loved

When your loved ones are far away 
And you are on your own 
When you don't know what to say
When you're afraid of being alone
Remember - you are loved 

When your sadness comes to an end
And everything is going right 
May you think of your family and friends 
And keep their love in sight 
A thank-you for being loved

May you see the love around you 
In everything you do 
And when troubles seem to surround you
May all the love shine through 
You are blessed - you are loved

-B