Sometimes there is just nothing you can do. At least nothing you can do to make a situation better. There is always something that you can do.
Sometimes the problem is far away from you physically, or you are simply incapable of getting out of the chair. Personal illness and injury get in the way. When that’s not the problem then you can be sure money is; no one has enough these days.
Sometimes you are so overwhelmed by problems in your immediate family, you just cannot take on the extra emotional burden, no matter how much you want to. I have no small experience with stress related illnesses. Trust me when I say worry can indeed make you ill.
So often it is a matter of timing. You may have skills and abilities needed, but can’t work out your schedule with that of the needy. Likely you have too many things on your plate already.
Because we all do. We all have more trouble than we think we can bear. Somehow we manage, but we have no idea how. It’s not by hearing people say “God doesn’t give you more than you can handle”. It’s not by people saying “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you”. It’s by simply moving forward.
One step at a time.
One breath at a time.
There is always something that needs done. Sometimes it is enough to just do. Take in a deep breath and look around. Pick up a cup and put it in the dishwasher. Run the sweeper. Mow the lawns. Make the beds. Just keep moving.
Every little thing you do can make a big difference. It doesn’t matter if you are the one suffering or if it is someone else. There are things in daily life that must continue to be done. Laundry must be washed dried and put away. The trash must be taken out. The lawns must be mowed. Groceries need ot be bought and dinner prepared.
Everyday life can be overwhelming in the magnitude of what needs to be accomplished compared to the amount of time we have. Though we think we know how much time we have, we never really do. We try to balance our priorities against society. We try to accomplish too much.
We try to figure out how to make everything all better, even though we know we can’t. What we can do is keep moving forward. Truth is, the laundry can probably wait one more day, but an ill spouse may need you to stop and sit. No sooner will you sweep the floor but that it will be dirty again, but they crying child needs a hug right this minute.
Still these things need to be done. They actually make it easy to move forward. Every single thing you do to help create a comfortable atmosphere moves you forward. These simple things can give us the opportunity to help someone else move forward.
Take a deep breath. Look around. See what needs to be done, then do it. You don’t have to ask. You don’t necessarily have to do it right. Just move forward as you exhale and keep on breathing.