Fact: Life as a whole can be overwhelming.

It can be as overwhelming as when you were a small child and learning a new skill – be that spelling, long division or algebra.  At the start of the experience it can seem like an impossible task.  x=y? How can x=y in problem one day and x=z the next?  As you learn the skills, the tricks and start to break it down – slowly, things get easier.

That skill to be able to evaluate an overwhelming situation, to break down the big problems in to small tasks is continually helpful as an adult.  Too many people forget HOW to keep learning every day – forget how to take the big frustrations and break those down into small, manageable tasks.

The skills that you learn in the beginning- the simple arithmetic – those skills don’t stop being useful.  Ever.

Simple arithmetic expands even beyond the ability to break down big problems in to smaller, manageable tasks.  Simple arithmetic can be used to evaluate the world when you take a closer look.  Look deeper; look beyond the cover.  Really look – is the whole picture that you’re seeing more – or less – than the sum of its parts.

Some people can be worth less than the sum of its parts: their education, their pedigree, their bank account – might add up to a lot less than someone who doesn’t have those things.  The person without any of that could be worth so much more than the sum of their parts: their dedication, their trustworthiness, their ability to help or heal.

The same goes for activities and objects – a painting, a run – for different people anything could be more (or less) than it seems from the outside.  It’s easy to get caught up in what looks important from the outside – to get distracted by the shininess of something.  Take the time to really look past the cover and evaluate the situation.

Always do the simple arithmetic – is the whole worth more or less than the sum of its parts?