Thursday, December 10, 2009

"Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk"

If there is one thing I have learned in my short twenty two years, it's "Don't Cry over Spilt Milk". I remember family members and friends saying this to me when I was younger, but I don't think it ever really clicked in my head. I used to get so worked up all the time and get cery upset about little things that never really seemed to matter. It seemed to important to me what I looked like, if my hair was perfect, or if my oufit matched just right. I would take everything so personally and become very emotional and care too much about what other people thought. One could say I in fact did, "cry over spilt milk".

It sounds like such an easy thing to do. "Don't cry over spilt milk". Don't worry about things that aren't really important. How does one know what is important to worry over and what isn't? It takes life lessons and maturity to learn what is really important and what isn't.

Don't cry over spilt milk means that I shouldn't get upset over things that aren't improtant or don't really matter in the long run. One shouldn't worry abotu stuff they have no control over, or probably will never even happen. As I've gotten older, I have realized the things are are important to strress over, such as family, good friends, and health. What people think, if the house is totally clean, if the dishes are done, these things are not worth getting upset about, or "crying over spilt milk".

The first time I understood what this statement really meant was when my dad, a 43 year old marathong runner, in the prime of his life, nearly dropped dead of a heart attack while trotting along on his morning run. He felt great pressure in his chest and was rushed to the hospital, not returning home for 11 days. In these 11 days, seeming like 11 years, doctors discovered a "Widow's Block" in the main artery to his heart, causing him to have emergency open heart bypass surgery. My dad was in excellent health, a non smoker, with an excellent diet. It seemd the impossible was indeed possible.

So how did his happen? My dad agreed, he had in fact been one to "cry over spilt milk". My dad has a stressful job and he always seemed to bring his work home with him. Growing up, I coudl always tell when he had a bad day. He seemd grouchy, or as if he had waken up on the wrong side of the bed. I was always terrifed to tell my dad si I had done soemthing not to be so proud of, or if I made a bad mistake.

If there is one thing my dad lives his life by after his scare, it would be Don't cry over spilt milk. I can never tell if my dad had a bad day, or if he is stressed. He is always upbeat and in a great mood. He leaves his work at work, and appreciates the little things in life, keeping his eye set on waht really matters and is worth stressing his heart over. As for me, I am no longer the girl to "cry over spilt milk".

1 comment:

  1. I also agree that we shouldn't "cry over spilt milk". We don't need to sweat the small stuff. I've learned to not stress as much over things I can't control. I like being happier all the time and I wish everyone would do the same and not sweat the small stuff.

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