Wednesday Wonder

Good Afternoon!
Grrr!

Some days are just like that. We have good days and bad days. Someone greets you pleasantly, but you just don’t have it in you to respond in kind. I think the state of our world contributes. Things seem on edge all the time, so that sometimes extends to us.

Some days we can fake it. We can smile, hold the cutting tone, and get through our encounter with someone else. Some days, we just can’t. When we get overwhelmed, when the requests of us get too much, we just don’t have it in us to be pleasant for too long.

Not having a great day is okay. We all go through ups and downs. How we share that not so great day is important. Just because we are having a bad day doesn’t mean we have to ruin the days of anyone else we encounter. That can be a challenge. Our own frustrations, our own tiredness, our own feelings of overwhelm can be very powerful. They can lead us to respond harshly when we don’t mean to do so.

So, what do we do about it?  Staying home and away from other people helps. You probably have your own ideas. Even taking a moment for a deep breath can help. We often don’t stop and take a breath in our normal days let alone our less than optimal days.

It is said that misery loves company. If I can share my bad day with you maybe it won’t feel so bad or so overwhelming. But I have found that sharing the misery doesn’t actually make me feel better. Someone else being in a bad mood does nothing to help mine.

So what are we to do? We simply cannot be having a good day everyday. And if you are one of those people who seems to be able to be positive all day every day, please reach out and tell me your secret. We could make some money marketing the secret. Seems to me as I wander the bookstore at times that many people are trying to make money by saying they have the secret to just that.

Even Jesus wasn’t having a good day every day. He tried to find time to withdraw and recharge on his own. He sometimes got exasperated with the needs of the disciples and others who were constantly asking more of him. He even turned over some tables, grabbed a whip and drove people out of the Temple.

Having a bad day. Don’t share it with others so that they too have one. Share that you are feeling less than usual, give yourself a chance to recharge and, if possible, take some of the positive energy others have to offer and let it lift you. And remember that even Jesus had an off day once in a while. He got tired, he got overwhelmed and then, he took a deep breath, stepped back a moment and started over.

Maybe we can do the same on the days we need it.