My day started out lovely. I got up at five to try to get myself together before I had to get the little girls up for camp which then involves breakfast, hustling them to get ready, packing cold lunches, packing up their backpacks, and dropping them at the bus by 7:20. For someone who, for the past six months, has enjoyed slow and leisurely mornings with her little girls? This is not my ideal morning situation.
But it didn’t matter (nor will it tomorrow or the next day). I dropped those little girls (today they are Woodland Fairies), proudly wearing the tutus that I’d made (this in and of itself is a f-cking miracle), and they were so very excited for their second day of camp. Last night my oldest little girl said “I don’t want to get up early, but I’ll do it, because I can’t wait for another day of camp!” Then she proceeded to talk about how she wished she could be in camp all summer. Not a bad idea!
I left them as they were boarding their bus, smiling to myself because this is turning out to be such a great experience for them, and because it’s been so fun to be a part of it. I hadn’t had time to make my own breakfast, what in the midst of getting the girls ready and all, so I swung through Starbuck’s. When I got to the window, the woman working said “I’m about to brighten your day!” “Okay?” I said as I started reaching out the window with my $7.62. “The gentleman in front of you paid for your breakfast and asked that you do the same for someone else sometime.”
Amazing.
I’ve done this before when I’ve seen moms behind me with a mini-van of unruly kids, or someone who looked like they could use a pick-me-up (determined by what I can ascertain through my rearview mirror), but I haven’t done it in awhile. I drove the rest of my commute inhaling free Starbuck’s, enjoying the last few minutes of the fabulous book I’m listening to, and feeling like everything is right with the world. Because, in the grand scheme of things? It, in fact, is.
The dog and I breezily sauntered into the office and it took maybe 13 minutes for the joy and peace of my morning to disintegrate. You know how it is…a deadline for TODAY that hadn’t existed when you left the office YESTERDAY…wait…what just happened. Email responses that completely missed the point of the original email sent…meaning none of the work requested was actually completed…awesome. An overly messy desk that just does not seem to clean itself up when I’m home at night…rude. One of those work days that are bad for no particular reason. Nothing is WRONG per se…it’s just that on some days the normal minutae at work can feel excruciatingly irritating. Enter stage right: TODAY.
By 10:30 I had forgotten all about my little fairies who are probably once again having the time of their lives at camp, the nice man who bought my breakfast, or the upcoming lunch with one of my favorite people on the planet. I had officially fallen into a “this is going to be one of those days” mode.
When I was finally on my way to lunch, my mind was racing. I was thinking of the bid I’d just sent, wondering if it would work for the client, mentally listing the many things that have to get done this week in the little time we have at night, and I was being grumpy about all of it.
If you’re lucky like me (lucky doesn’t even begin to touch what I am…but it works) you have really great girlfriends. One of mine, Ess, is perfect for me on a day like today. We’re able to lament to each other for a bit, point out things that the other may not have considered, find solutions (internal solutions at least), and then move on to talk about our passions. Every time we talk to each other/see each other/or even share a good quality email string, I feel like each of us leaves a better person. Or, more accurately, better equip to be our true selves in our own little worlds. Feeling refreshed and really great about who we are and what we have to offer the world. That’s right…I said world…what of it?
As I drove back to work, my mind was clear of the muck that had been there on my way to lunch. Because…please…I have bigger fish to fry than the piddly BS that was actually ruining my day this morning. Bigger fish to fry, bigger things to accomplish, bigger and more important things about which to fret…and/or for which I am incredibly grateful.
Now I’m keeping my eyes peeled for ways to repay that lovely man for his kindness by offering it to someone else. I said in yesterday’s post that I love giving…well here’s my chance!
TODAY: What if, in an effort to stave off my own bad days, I work to brighten those of others?
MAMACADABRA 