“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

― Albert Einstein

I look down.  I see one of my favorite medium-sized sterling silver hoop earrings rolling across my colleague’s office floor.

When I reach down to pick up the earring, I notice the latch is missing from the hoop.  Rats!!  My eyes carefully scan the tweed color textured carpet hoping to find the missing latch.  No such luck. The hoops are my favorite earrings. I can wear them with nearly any outfit and they match.

My colleague walks over and gives the carpet a second look over, but still no latch.

Hmm…

Oh well, I guess it is just meant for me to buy another pair of sterling silver earrings.  It’s no big deal! Later I will probably find the latch stuck in my clothing or undergarments.

I laugh.  I am not wealthy or anything but I see no purpose in getting upset.  I cannot change the situation, so I’m over it.  I thank her for looking for the piece, exit her office, and forget all about the missing latch for the rest of the day.

The hoop fell out around 12:30 p.m. this afternoon.

This is funny!  A few minutes ago– 11:02 p.m. tonight (same day)  I just finished brushing my teeth. I noticed something odd-looking near my second pierced ear that holds a diamond stud.

When I look closer…

the latch is still in my ear!

The hoop separated from the latch and fell to the floor, but the latch stayed in the hole!!! Since my hair has grown and covers my ears, I could not see that the latch was still in my ear.

Ha!  Ha!  See, this is exactly why I don’t sweat the small stuff!  I still have the hoop and the earring is repairable.

I was once emotionally and mentally wired to overreact to situations to which I had no control over.  Thankfully age, wisdom, experience, and the well-known serenity prayer has taught me better.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

—Reinhold Niebuhr