It could always be worse

 Okay so you are probably wondering what kind of depressing title is that?  but before you think that let me tell you the backstory of it so you can understand that this phrase has become a powerful reminder in my life that has helped me to put things in my life into perspective each day, and how I think it could do the same for all of you…

 As many of you know I have an amazing mother who had open heart bypass surgery two years ago. Momma Gloria is one of the most positive people I have ever met. She is always in a good mood. She is always happy. She always has a kind word to share with anyone at any time. I rarely, if ever, hear her complain. From the time she went in to be operated to the minute she got to go home, her chart always had a happy face telling the nurses she was doing just fine even when she was probably tolerating a lot of pain. Without going into too many details I will tell you that my mom has been through many trials in her life. 

I was about 16 years old when my mom got pregnant again and she went to full term with a darling baby girl that she delivered stillborn. Going to the funeral for her little girl, my little sister, Maria Cristina, was one of the most heartbreaking things to experience.

She once again kept her positive attitude and stayed cheerful and pushed forward. Many would have given up far before she did, but not my mom. She stayed positive and they tried again and this time they were blessed with a healthy baby girl, Gloria Maricela. 

I honestly have wondered how did she do it? How does she stay positive no matter what trials come into her life? How does she stay so cheerful? And then one day I finally figured it out: My mom and I were home when we got word that my daughter had gotten into an accident, bad enough that totaled the car. I was complaining about it and my mom simply smiled and said “It could always be worse.” She didn’t say it in a mean way or a way to put me down for my being discouraged about it. She said it in her cute little happy tone that interjects joy into the world around her. She was simply reminding me that while what had happened was unfortunate, things could certainly be worse. Yes, the car was destroyed but she came out fine. 

 All at once it hit me. Here is a mom who knows the pain of burying her beautiful little girl – yes, she was painfully aware that it could always be worse, and suddenly I was humbled beyond belief and I felt silly for having been so caught up in my whining about something that in the big scheme of things wasn’t really a big deal at all. 

My mom has had to remind me many times during her visits with me that “It could always be worse” and each time the kind little reminder snaps me back into the reality that life should be kept in perspective. 

Complaints should be kept in perspective. Our appreciation for all that is good in our world should be viewed with that perspective. Because the truth is that it really can always be worse, even when it may seem at its darkest points…it could still get much worse. And so we cannot take anything for granted. We need to be grateful for everything in our life that is a blessing and all of us have many. 

How lucky I am to have someone like my mom in my life to remind me of the beauty in the world around us and the blessings that we have to be grateful for. We all need friends like mamma Gloria in our lives. Remember that “It could always be worse” so let’s be grateful for all that is good in our lives. 

Con amor,

Vero