A Whale of a Minnow

I was listening to the radio the other day and someone brought up how it is often not the whales in life that really are a threat, instead it’s getting nibbled to death by minnows. I loved the imagery that brought out in my head and it reminded me a of a notebook I had had in high school. There was a saying on the front, something like “Any idiot can face a crisis, it’s the day to day living that really wears you out.”
I won’t go far as to say that everyone can face a crisis, but it really is the minnows that show you who you are and what you are made of. Minnows might be taking on a task you would really rather not. If I complete it and complete it well, that is a demonstration of my character. If I do not care to do the dishes, because it is not a favorite chore, then doing them anyway and doing them well is dealing with the minnows. Probably I get more nibbles on minnows that are about planning and perception than dishes. I like plans and to have a clear understanding of what is coming next. When that isn’t there, in some circumstances, I can feel myself grow frustrated, anxious, or a combination of both. Perception is another minnow area for me. I am single and over thirty and have actually been asked – “Why aren’t you married yet?” From which I perceive the intended or non-intended question to actually be, what’s wrong with you. How do you even answer that question? I always wait for someone else to have the same stunned look on their face as I do, but sadly they almost always look interested in the answer. Then the minnows come and nibble. Why do they think I’m not married yet? Why is there always a yet at the end of that sentence? Why is that even being asked? What are they thinking about me? You can imagine, this gets into quite the cycle until the minnows are forming their own little watery whirlpool about my head.
But, before I go down the minnow whirlpool of perception, I try to remember that this is just a minnow nibble. This is not being eaten by a whale. I brush the minnows away and move on.
We all have minnows. They are the pesky people, attitudes, frustrations, dislikes, and pet peeves of our life. As a group they can do some serious damage. So, we need to keep the minnows under control.