You Had a Bad Day

I agree with some of you: yesterday (or the day before) was horrible. Memorably so. And with those kind of days comes the temptation to lay down in the dirt and give up. To dredge up all the rotten days long past and stew in all the unfairness and unkindness and misery. The temptation is to make those kinds of days the whole story of our lives. I have faced that temptation countless times. And I will sadly confess to spending more time in the mud of despair than I'd like to admit.

I hate to be the one to say it, but bad days are guaranteed to come. Truly. And crying over them is appropriate. Really. So go ahead and grieve. Don't put a band-aid over things and pretend it's all better before it is. Let yourself experience the pain and loss and sadness.  ...And then let it go.

Don't let that one unbelievably bad day (week...year) be the the whole story of your life. We get to choose which lines and chapters of our lives define us. And, precious one, you story is far from finished. You have so many more experiences ahead. I'm looking forward to hearing your new chapters, to seeing what new strengths and insights grow out of  these challenges you're walking through right this minute. Really.

I certainly don't understand the whys of bad days. And I refuse to minimize how difficult some days can be. But as you're trudging through this particularly lousy day, please remember this is not your story's final chapter.

So keep me posted. Because I love you. Bunches.