Homebodies - This is not a good day

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Published on Tuesday, September 25, 2018

By Rita Friesen

Neepawa Banner & Press

The wee lass was asked to put on pants. She was used to the comfort and ease of shorts, but the weather required warmer clothing. Her choice was to put on her pants or not go to the playground. Putting on pants won.  As she was trying to put them on as she remained standing, she listed severely and slowly toppled over. The voice was clear and concise –‘ this is not a good day.’

I thought about that. To a child of four, putting on pants and tumbling over makes the day not good. It is her perspective and she is entitled to it. She shook off the emotion and enjoyed the afternoon.

There are days that many of us feel could be better. The day the car dies, or a pet!, stress at work, ill health, tight finances, - many factors contribute to not a good day day! Some things are truly minor and we should shake it off  and enjoy the playground.

One of the men from our framing community, when asked how things were going, would cheerfully reply –‘could be worse!’. As the conversation would continue and some of the facts of his day unfolded, one wondered how it could be worse. Knowing that of course it could be worse. We were all upright and speaking.

Another, older than me, gentleman would always say-‘As long as you’ve got your health.’ When I was young I had no idea of the deep truth to that saying. The older I get the better I understand and appreciate that truth. When one has set backs and failures there is a chance of a successful redo if you have the health to work hard and dig in. Most times.

There is a difference between a day being the worst day of your life- and that changes as we age!, and not a good day. When I was young the worst day of my life was a variable- failed an exam, broke up with a boyfriend or fought with a best friend, to, indeed the day the family dog died. As I got older, it took an event of greater impact to make a worst day. The day I recognised that my first marriage was toxic and I needed out. The day a child struggled with our definition of normal. Then, the day that ended the competition for the worst day forever, the day my partner of forty years and one day died. After that there have been not good days, but that was the worst.

I go back to the original scene. A little girl wanting to go out to play but needing to put on her pants first, and then the frustration of the fall. She did go play and had a wonderful time. I want to learn from that. I want to remember that when things may not be going my way, to put on my pants and go. The day will get better if my attitude does. Most times. Rather like laughing at myself when I locked myself out of my home!