Don’t borrow trouble
Slow Burn“Don’t borrow trouble” is a piece of advice Kate MacKenna remembers from her mother, Leah MacKenna. Its significance lies in the tension between the counsel to resist anticipatory worry and the immediate strain that makes the saying return to Kate’s mind.
Meaning and Origin
The expression advises against suffering in advance over troubles that have not yet happened. Kate recalls that Leah had often said those words, making the phrase a familiar piece of maternal guidance rather than a new maxim introduced by the crisis.
The Saying in Context
Kate remembers the advice while thinking about a health concern and the importance of early detection. She has just been reminded that she found the lump only the previous week, and the thought leaves her exhausted; she also reflects that her sister, Sydney, and their mother had regularly taken charge of their health. The saying offers a way to resist being overwhelmed by what might happen, but Kate’s immediate reaction turns toward another burden: she does not want to think about her mother and feels she already has enough to deal with.
Narrative Function
The phrase connects practical reassurance about future uncertainty with the personal weight of Kate’s bereavement. Although it recalls Leah’s habitual advice, it cannot simply settle Kate’s distress: the memory itself brings her mother to mind at a moment when Kate would rather avoid that grief. The scene therefore gives the expression both a comforting meaning and an emotional cost.
