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Problems often need time and perspective to improve
I will fight my battle and I will feel pain and I will have no loss and I will remain and I will stand proud and I will be strong and I will shed my light and I will sing my song and I will win and I will cry and I will spread my wings and I will fly.
-Keith Perks, cancer survivor

Have you ever had a time when you felt all those emotions in about an hour? That pretty much summed up a recent morning for me.
I was at the top of my game, feeling like I could conquer the world. My day was on track, my time was managed, I even got in a couple of games of solitaire in the Knolltop Lounge while I waited for the boss to put the feed out after the morning milking.

Getting in for breakfast, I had a great start with the kids, got them off to school and had time to get the house cleaned up, a couple of loads of laundry done and answered some emails, all before I entered my office to sit down to get some work done.

I should have stopped at the laundry, because the “work day” began with a major obstacle that only seemed to get bigger and bigger right before my eyes. You see, when checking my email, there are some folks I love to hear from and other emails that I would like to ship to the spam folder – but, unfortunately, ignoring them just makes life just that much more miserable.

My normal mode of operation, burying my head in the sand, works temporarily but never seems to take care of a problem.

Putting on my happy face, I drank my coffee while my husband ate his breakfast and discussed – what else, but his favorite subject – cows. Done with breakfast, we parted ways and I finished cleaning the kitchen and came back into the office to attack the problems of the day.

Checking my phone, I noticed I had missed a call from my dad. I listened to the voicemail and was immediately cheered up. He was delivering wonderful news for me and I counted my blessings to think that first of all, he would help me out with a problem and second of all, tell me that my problem wasn’t the huge mountain of regret that I had created it to be.

Sitting down to write this column, I thanked God for His wonderful and endless grace and then I saw the poem at the beginning of this column. As I read it, I realized I went through every one of those emotions in about an hour – and just had to share it with you.

Is there anyone else out there who does this very thing? Or am I the only person crazy enough to admit it? Regardless if I’m alone or have a few more folks in my camp, there is light on the other side of these sometimes hopeless circumstances.

With a change in perspective, we can attack the day, seeking victory at the end!

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.
9/15/2011