Every day's a gift my grandmother insisted. I agree. It's just that some are wrapped much more prettily than others.
It's not easy to think a day is a gift if you've lost your purse, gotten a speeding ticket or forgotten your anniversary. That's the kind of gift that isn't the right size, is missing batteries or didn't come with directions. It's one of those round, jigsaw puzzles that has all black pieces.
My grandmother lived life as a day-half-full person. She'd say if you lost your purse, you also lost that awful driver's license picture. If you got a speeding ticket, you'll have to go to traffic school Saturday and won't be able to help your neighbor paint his house. If you forgot your anniversary, well it's a good time to remember to pray.
The bad news is days can't be returned or exchanged. The good news is - yes, there is good news - days are gifts that keeps on giving - tomorrows.
"Fix what you can. Don't get fixated on the rest" is probably the best advice my grandmother ever gave me, but it's also the hardest to follow. "Yes, Grandmother; but...."
"No buts about it, young lady. Graveyards are full of people who'd love to have your problems. And just you remember, they're the only ones without problems".
Have you ever noticed that when you complain about something, it gets worse? Some would say you're attracting negative energy. Grandmother would say you're wasting the energy you could use to fix whatever it is you're complaining about.
Making someone else's day better was another one of Grandmother's solutions for a bad day. Unfortunately, I don't think shortening my dentist's work schedule by cancelling my appointment is what she meant.
Sometimes we get what we want - a sunny day for a picnic. Sometimes we get what we need - a rainy day, your third grader's picnic is canceled, you freeze the fried chicken and have time to finish the novel you started a month ago.
And yes, we've all experienced days when everything goes right - not often enough, but we have experienced them. The rain stopped, no one missed the school bus, you kicked the washing machine and it stopped making the banging sound, the check really did come in the mail and your mother-in-law isn't coming at all.
As this kind of day unwraps, you get wrapped up in it. If only days could be re-gifted. |
