You know those days when you had planned to get things done, but it just doesn't happen? You're grumbling and everyone needs extra attention, but you feel about as affectionate as a cactus.
I have those days more often than I care to admit. They are the days I rely heavily on coffee to help me be less of a sleep deprived mombie, and they are the days I watch my free time flee as my kids seemingly tag-team for my attention. And they are always the days when I planned to accomplish multiple tasks.
Most of us would deem it a bad day. I always do. The children are whining and I can't wait until I can start wining too. There's a pile of laundry at the top of the stairs and a pile of dishes to rival it on the counter. My coffee is cold, I need to pee, and both boys need me right now. I feel like I'm going crazy. Everything is wrong. I raise my voice, trying to gain control of the chaos. But in reality, I am only adding to it. No one listens, and I definitely do not feel better. Once things are seen as negative, it's hard to climb back up that slippery slope.
Yup. It's a bad day.
We have a mason jar glass. It is simple and ordinary, but on one side the words "today is a good day" are printed. I always seem to grab this glass on these bad days. It's just a cup and I never notice it's the one I grab, not until I've sat down to drink whatever beverage it is filled with. In the two seconds it takes to read the words, my mind shifts. In those two seconds, I've looked back on the day and while I recall the moments of grumpiness, a tiny voice - my guardian angel perhaps - speaks out, saying, "Remember how your baby fell asleep in your arms, looking so peaceful? That was pretty good." Or "Did you see the joy in your toddler's eyes when you correctly interpreted his babbled request? That was pretty special. And that first sip of coffee when it was still hot was pretty relaxing."
Within those seconds, I've come to realize today IS a good day. Just as every day has the potential to be. This isn't to say that some days won't be utterly draining, or exhausting, or tiresome. Some certainly will. But every day has something good in it, even if it's only a single thing. And I think that is grounds for it to be a good day.
~Emilie
