Learning to Ignore: A Sunday Morning Revelation

This past Sunday started beautifully. My wife had prepared an amazing dinner the night before for our friends, and everything was set for an early church service together the following day.

As planned, we all agreed to meet at the church at 8 AM. To avoid any confusion due to traffic, I gave my friend the church address and we set off. True to Texas style, I zipped down the highway at 110 mph and reached the church in less than 10 minutes. I waited for my friend, but as the minutes ticked by, there was no sign of them. Concern crept in as I called them repeatedly without response, and my mind raced to the worst possibilities. Unable to shake the worry, I drove back along the route we had come, fearing an accident had delayed them. Finding no sign of trouble, I returned to the church, only to discover them safely inside, having arrived just minutes after me.

Here’s the moment of truth: I could have let frustration take over, upset with my friend for not answering the calls or my wife for not informing me they had arrived safely. But something stopped me. In that moment, I chose a different path, one less traveled in the bustling corridors of our daily lives. I chose to ignore the impulse to be upset. This experience crystallized a profound lesson: sometimes, the best response is no response. By choosing to ignore minor miscommunications and misunderstandings, we open ourselves up to more peace and less stress.

My wife and my friend, unaware of my dozen missed calls, were just enjoying the service, untouched by the turmoil of my worries. "Learn to Ignore" isn't about neglect; it's about focusing on what truly matters. It’s about not letting the small things overshadow the good times. As we continued our day, the relief of the unspoken and the unsullied joy of our gathering reminded me that sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply let go.