Catastrophysing

Then I get into catastrophysing. ~ Lesa

What’s a catastrophe? Well, it depends.
On who you are, on what day it is,
on who riled you in the last ten minutes…
or seventeen years ago and for some reason
you’re stuck in reliving that, in reviving the defeat,
in wallowing in the embarrassment again today.
To put it simply most of the time it’s not
an event causing great and often sudden damage,
a disaster.

More important to your sanity, though,
is what is not a catastrophe. It’s not an irritation
in the normal course of life when you’re diligent
in staying on your side of the street, in declining to rescue
all those around who couldn’t possibly manage
absent your assistance. It’s not an unkind remark
when you can remember that he’s another sick person,
stuck in his illness, and his comments – especially about you —
are none of your business. A catastrophe is not
what happens when you work your program,
use the tools, get to meetings, meditate,
and do service. Those days you don’t have time
to manufacture a catastrophe.