It Could Be Worse

"It Could Be Worse" are four words that many people don't find very comforting during their times of trials. They don't want to think that what they are going through, what they are feeling and the trials they see could be worse. The truth is, there is always someone who is worse off than you. Hard to imagine, I know, when you are curled up on the couch in excruciating pain, or lacking in so much energy that you can barely move, or the medicines and treatments you are doing take everything out of you.

As much as I tell myself this, it takes more convincing, especially during these hard times. Maybe it is because I really don't want what I have or am feeling to get worse. That would be torture. Maybe it is because I want sympathy. Maybe it is because when going through suffering, I have a hard time seeing how it could be worse.

One morning, I woke up in pain, which is a semi-normal thing. On this day, it was different. The pain was debilitating. I could not move or did not want to try to move. The pain was intense and moving around made it worse. I stayed on the couch in a ball, not wanting to do anything. I felt guilty because there were people to help and things that needed to get done. Nothing got done, except letting my mind wander and I rested on the couch. My mind wandered through my circumstances. Then it began to think about how it could be worse. Believe it or not, I came up with multiple ways that it could be worse.

All of the sudden, I was grateful for what I had, even though it was a pain in the stomach or major discomfort in my life. It is my trial and I can survive it. I would not want to go through the other trials that people have in their lives. There are definitely people out there who are in worse shape than me, who have more pain or struggle.

I watched a little video clip the next day (still on the couch and still in pain) about a girl who has gastroparesis, except her case is worse than mine. She has a feeding tube and would miss school or life things for days, weeks and months at a time. Here I am complaining about 2 days. She does not sit around and have a pity party for herself. She looks for ways to serve others. She makes coloring books and sock monkeys for children in the hospitals in her area.

So that's the key. Find the good, serve others, and be strong.

Yes, our conditions are hard. The sicknesses we endure are difficult. It is hard to see, especially when dealing with them at that moment, how anyone else could have it worse and how things could be worse. I promise you two things. 1. There is always someone worse off than you. 2. There is good in and situation, trial or suffering.