I think our society has become obsessed with numbers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m referring to numbers not math. We have cell numbers, S.S. numbers, bank routing numbers, account numbers, pin numbers, credit card numbers and more.

Then, there are those important numbers that have the ability to either send us out the door in the morning floating in blissful euphoria or make our hearts plummet to our feet: bank account balances, our weight, and medical numbers indicating a problem with our health. Each of these can turn a great day into a dismal one in a second.

I’ve never been good at math. I don’t really even try much anymore. I love online banking because I can check my balance every day and avert disaster before it happens. Years ago, I just made compensating errors. It worked for me!

But, some numbers are beyond our ability to control. I’ve been concerned about an abnormality in my blood work that was discovered while I was in the hospital two months ago. Things have not improved and every time a new set of numbers comes back, I feel like I have been punched in the stomach. It ruins my day.

Today was one of those days. It dawned sunny and beautiful. The first day without rain after more than two weeks of monsoons. I felt elated – ready to tackle anything – and then I got the results back from my blood work. My spirits plummeted. The flickering sunlight and the puffy blue skies hadn’t changed: my mindset had. It’s so easy for one set of numbers to make everything looks different.

But my grandmother used to warn us not to “wallow in self pity.” A lot hasn’t changed. I have a family who loves me and I know that God will be with me through anything that happens. I have to learn to let go of the things I can’t control and go on with my life. I need to take one day at a time and not freak out about what may happen next week or tomorrow because that isn’t mine to determine. I’m just along for the ride.

It’s gorgeous outside and it’s lovely not to have the front yard looking like a squishy swamp. Maybe I’ll go and weed my flower beds. After all, it’s a beautiful day and I don’t want to waste it!