You Think Too Much II

I realized this morning that people say, “You think too much,” when you bring up something that they don’t really want to think about or dwell upon.  That’s not to say their always incorrect, but they’re not always correct either.  Sometimes we have to think about some of the worst things that can happen so we will actually act to avoid them instead of walk around in a state of denial.  And sometimes we have to think about the worst that can happen so that we can comfort ourselves by realizing how unlikely it is, or by having a plan that makes us feel secure about the possibility of this bad thing happening and us ‘living’ through it. 

I love my  husband, but sometimes I think about what I would do if anything happens to him… just to comfort myself and allow myself to love him even more without fear that loss of him would destroy me.  If I didn’t do that, I might hold back my emotions so I wouldn’t have to face the possibility.  I love my son but sometimes think about the consequences of his out-of-control blood sugars so that I will get on the mark and stay on his case about taking care of his diabetes.  And when I have something kind of scary to do… like speak out in public or go someplace at night, sometimes I have to think of the worst that could happen so I can realize how ridiculous my worries are.  People are not going to publicly :”boo” me… they don’t do that in churches (the worst that can happen is a kindly push from the Pastor to end or polite but strained fidgeting from the congregation).  Monsters and vampires are not going to get me in the dark and it’s highly unlikely even lethal gang members will trip over me in my little middle class suburb parking lot.  Once I think of those “worst” things, I realize how silly these worries are and I’m okay.

I really don’t believe that I think too much (obviously).