In parts of the South, “It don’t matter” is a popular phrase expressing the idea of “I don’t care, you decide”. You hear it quite often when people are discussing where to go out to eat, where to stop or where to go on a trip or what to wear. There is actually a restaurant in L.A. ( Lower Alabama) named “It Don’t Matter.” What a great idea for the name of a restaurant. I can imagine that this has prompted some interesting conversations like “Where do you want to go for lunch? … It don’t matter. No really, Where you want to eat?… It Don’t Matter! ”

The truth is there are a lot things that really don’t matter, it is not a right or a wrong, it’s just a matter of your personal preference. On the other hand, There are some decisions that it really does matter what you decide. Choices like where you live or what job or career you choose are very important. Big choices like these also can have far reaching consequences about your life way into the future.

Unfortunately, in our cynical culture today, we stress out about even little things and situations that really do not matter. We are conditioned to have unrealistic expectations about others and ourselves as well. Things like anger and rage show up in places like the check out line at the grocery store or at the drive thru. Instead of being thankful that we can buy food, we get upset that someone gets ahead us in line or Is too slow. We should not be so picky about unimportant things and lose our cool. There are times when I have been tempted to lose my cool but usually I am so slow, that by the time I get upset, it is already over with. We do not need to freak out about things that are small in comparison to bigger issues. Life does not have to be perfect to be good.

It is good for us to take it easy sometimes and learn to enjoy being human in an imperfect world, and even laugh at ourselves.

One time I asked a friend to help me set up some tables and chairs for a meeting at church. I said to brother Mike “ You can help me do this, it is simple, just a matter of mind over matter.” He replied,”Yes , I will help you Jerry Bear, in spite of the fact that with your mind… it doesn’t really matter.” Hmmm… There is some food for thought. I still laugh when I think about that because… it don’t matter.