On The Flip Side

by Christine · November 18, 2020

The other day, I was at the gym and enjoying my workout listening to my music. I usually follow along with an exercise app – this particular workout, I was using the Nike App. I finished up with the app and set the 10lb weight on the bench next to me while I turned to go fetch the cleaning spray and paper towels. As I turned, I noticed the weight rolling off the bench directly in line with my iPhone (which was foolishly lying on the floor directly beneath the weight). I reached out as quickly as I could to grab it, but to my demise, it landed directly on the screen of my iPhone. (There was only 1 other guy in the gym with me at the time; he too was listening to his music on his Beats – but my gasp must have been loud enough that he even turned to see what had happened).

Accidents will happen sometimes no matter how care man will be – Wilkie Collins

At quick glace, it looked fine. No broken screen. Everything in one piece. The only imperfection I could see was 2 tiny pixilated dots from the impact of the heavy weight. Needless to say, my stomach still dropped and I was no longer in the mood to continue my workout. I drove home and my seventeen-year-old son was making breakfast in the kitchen. I started to fall apart to him and showed him my stupidity. He quickly searched screen repair and found that it could be fixed, but we both looked at it and felt I could live with the tiny imperfections it now had.

I then went on to ‘show and tell’ my husband. His compassion and understanding at my mishap was heartwarming. He assured me. Made me feel better and said – accidents happen.

So… I went on with my morning.

I was in line at the bank and took my phone out of my purse to check an email. As I pulled it out of my purse, it was backside up (not screen side up) and I thought – “oh, my case now has a design on it. Must have cracked from the impact. That’s ok, I thought, Callum has another case I can use”.

I had a few things to drop off at our business (which was closed for the day) and when I arrived there, a team member had stopped in to complete a few things. I was telling her about my lack of judgment that morning and pulled out my phone. I then turned the phone to show her my case and as I showed her, I pulled the case back from the phone. I think at that moment, my heart stopped. It was not the case that was cracked. IT WAS MY ENTIRE PHONE. She lovingly looked at me, told me to breathe, and assured me it would be ok.

To make a long story short, after returning home to show my husband my new realization, we headed to Apple to get it fixed. It ended up having to be replaced, but I now have a brand new phone.

Why am I telling this story? Is there a point, you patiently ask?

Yes. From some angles or perspectives in life, hardships may seemly look fine. Others may look at your life and only see a tiny flaw. Or the struggle you are trying to disguise may look completely manageable to others. Life at this moment, may seem hard to you, but to others looks insignificant.

Side Note: My husband instantly thought of the song – One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston

But, one moment in time can reflect a completely different perspective. From another angle, life can represent a shattering effect. A small dent to some can be a crashing demise for others.

We are in a time in our lives right now that life’s events are affecting people in all sorts of different ways. Economic despair may be affecting some while others it may be depression. From the outside, a person may look completely put together – sane – happy – calm, but from the inside, that person may be barely holding it together and feeling like everything is being torn apart. I’ve seen it myself and I have been there myself. Pressing every bit of despair down deep inside just so you can get through the day. But! Unexpectedly, something tiny happens and explosions of emotions occur.

Just like my phone. From the surface, it looks like a tiny itsy-bitsy spec. A pixilated moment in time, but from another angle, a rippling catastrophe.

So, remember this, a small dent or pixilated blip may seem manageable from the surface, but on the flip side; deep within, a ripple effect may be spreading. Be compassionate in that moment. Be understanding. Be loving. Because this moment in time is just that – a moment. We will get through. We will manage. We will smooth out our imperfections. Everything is fixable. Even life’s events.