Categories: uncategorized
Date: 02 November 2004 08:37:07
Last night I went out with a friend of mine whose mother is very sick. We toasted small victories (which isn't like toasting small marshmallows - although that can be fun too). Small victories, in the sense of little pieces of good news that get you through all the bad stuff, are things that would never seem so wonderful when life is going generally well. Things like the hospital appointment where the doctor is cautiously hopeful, the treatment that seems to be doing vaguely what it is supposed to be, the cup of tea that your awkward colleague makes for you and then bangs down on your desk without saying anything, the morning at church where we look round at the end of the service and say "well, that was good" with only a trace of amazement in our voices. In an ordinary situation, many small victories would seem like moments of misery and distress - but in particular places and cases, they can make you light-headed with joy.
I think small victories are vital, because small disasters are the things that get to us most. It's amazing how you can plod along in a situation that would seem desperate to somebody else - and then some trivial row/ stressful piece of work to do/ annoying conversation can tip you over an edge that you didn't even know you were standing on. I reckon small victories and good friends are the ropes that can pull us back up again before we hit the ground - so I'm thanking God for them this morning.