A huge window shattered in my kitchen yesterday. We had actually discovered it a few days ago when I pulled up the blind. It had remained in tact but every inch was in pieces. It was actually really beautiful! We went about finding someone to fix it but our search got stalled as we waited for responses. No big deal. Like a politician addressing the debt crisis, I just put the blind back down and forgot about it.
I had assumed a bird or rock hit it from the outside but to my shock yesterday, while I was cooking, it just suddenly came crashing down on the inside. I have no idea how it got broken or why it suddenly fell and will probably never know. The good news was that there was an outer pane that remained so we didn’t have a gaping hole in the house…but we did have quite a mess.
The first thing I did was yell for someone to grab the dog and lock her up somewhere. I didn’t want her getting glass in her paws. Our little Papillon looks like she was created and drawn by an artist at Disney. She’s dainty with a tiny little waist, butterfly ears, a pointy snoot, and bulgy eyeballs. Needless to say, she has the run of the house and feels entitled to such a privilege. So locking her in a room was not something she took very well. After all, she hadn’t done anything wrong…(at least not yesterday). J
As my husband swept up the glass I heard her crying and whining downstairs. What must have seemed like a punishment to her was really for her own good. I felt bad for her but I’d rather hear her cry being confined downstairs than to cry with bloody paws. But she couldn’t possibly understand that.
It made me think about so many times in my life when I cried and railed at God for “punishments” I didn’t seem to deserve. I’ve had my share of deep and painful disappointments and losses. Inexplicable betrayals that wounded me and left me afraid to trust or sometimes even hope that things could ever be better. In retrospect I can see now how many things that didn’t work out, led me to better things in the long run. But there are still hurts that seem senseless and fear continues to dog me about the future (pardon the pun). That’s just part of our human condition and something we need to fight against.
Maybe you’re going through a tough time right now or are still hurting from a loss or disappointment from the past. Try to remind yourself that God never allows us to suffer unless He is protecting us or bringing about a greater good in our lives. Remember my dog downstairs and imagine what kind of glass God may be keeping out of your paws. What’s needed is trust. There may still be emotions that you need to process, but believing there’s a higher plan and purpose will get you through it more quickly and take you higher up the mountain. As Padre Pio would say, “Pray, hope and don’t worry.” After all, God really is always looking out for you.
Allison is also the Founder and President of www.CatholicTherapists.com, and CatholicLifeCoaches.com, which provide nationwide networks of screened and dedicated Catholic therapists and Catholic life coaches.
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