Perspective Comes When You Accept What Is

We have one bag to check and one carry-on. I wanted everything to fit into one bag, but it was 64 lbs, so we were forced to take two after shuffling things around a bit.

 

We are also on Day 14 of the 21-Day Daniel Fast with our church, so I packed a few extra food items from home and a travel blender for smoothies. The Daniel Fast limits things like meat, dairy, caffeine, sugar, processed foods, and the like. Basically, it’s veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and water. My daily meals were usually the same: oatmeal, a smoothie, a salad, fruit, and roasted veggie bowls with homemade cashew queso.

 

This is a spiritual fast, not a health fast (although it is healthy), where you’re pushing away your plate and giving up something to make space for God. This is our fifth year doing the Daniel Fast together, and the insights, blessings, and breakthroughs each year have been nothing short of a miracle.

 

It’s the reason we are in Miami Beach. That direction came during our first Daniel Fast five years ago, when we were living in Colorado Springs.

This Sunday morning, we got to the airport, and it was busy, but we navigated easily after being redirected to a shorter security line. Per usual, our carry-on bag got pulled for screening.

 

As the TSA agent unzipped the bag, I could see the contents inside.

 

There it was, the Ninja portable blender I had just bought for travel… and it had a sharp blade.

 

Of course, we couldn’t take that in our carry-on bag.

 

We had exactly 36 minutes until our flight departed. Not enough time to go back and check the bag. That was the only option if we wanted to keep the blender.

 

So, we left the blender at security.

 

I walked away feeling frustrated. It was brand new, still in the box, and I was sad we wouldn’t have it to make smoothies. I was also frustrated with myself because I had originally packed it in the checked bag, but moved it to the carry-on to shift the weight around.

 

In that moment, I had two options:

You’ve most likely been presented with experiences in life similar to my blender, and at times, even more significant ones. Acceptance can sometimes feel like giving up, like resignation, but let me be clear, it’s not the same thing.

 

Acceptance takes humility, resilience, and self-awareness to move from rumination to peace. The Stoics even named this practice: The Art of Acquiescence.

 

As Joal and I walked away from security, I spoke out loud a few of my frustrations and then said, “I want to just accept what is because I can’t change it now.”

 

He laughed and said, “You’re the one who keeps talking about it!”

 

He was right.

 

For me, the fastest way to get to acceptance is to speak it out loud. For years, I kept things inside, pretending I had accepted what is, while still ruminating.

 

Often my thoughts sounded like, “Why did I do that?” or “I should have done…”

 

Self-criticism has always been one of my biggest challenges. But I’ve learned that I move faster into acceptance and begin to take my energy and power back when I share with others.

 

Science even shows that naming and expressing our emotions helps reduce mental stress and rumination.

 

And if you can get to acceptance, you will also receive the gift that often comes after. It might be a lesson, a blessing, or simply a shift in perspective. All small miracles that bring joy.

That day, we found our gate and then walked across the aisle to grab some bottled water. I selected a liter and a 16 oz bottle for Joal, and we went to pay.

 

Joal asked the cashier how her morning was going.

 

She paused, then responded:

 

And to think, I was worried about a blender.