Anatomy Of A Banner Day

Yesterday was a banner day.

And as I type the words I realize that all the normal hallmarks of a “banner” day were missing. It was not a “beautiful” day. In fact, the oppressive Northwest winter is upon us and it rained and stormed all day.

Beyond that, I had a two hour drive to and from my drawing workshop. As I drove out of the driveway for my class I realized not only was I late, but I’d forgotten my chair and there was a good chance I’d spend the three hour class standing if I didn’t turn around and get the chair, which would make me even later.

On the drive home, I realized I had a phone conference I’d have to take in the car (no worries, I have my blue tooth hooked up). Then I started thinking about the meeting and got all nervous and started fantasizing about having it canceled or possibly canceling it myself because I was really nervous about it.

And with all that, yesterday was a banner day.

As I drove out of the driveway and felt the stress of being late and driving in the rain and not being fully prepared, I realized that I love this workshop and my instructor always reminds us it’s like a vacation every Friday, so I decided to enjoy the ride.

Our Lady Of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey

And as it turned out, I didn’t need the chair. I got to hear monks chant vespers and I spent the morning drawing with my friends who didn’t care that I was late. They were just glad I was there.

The meeting I was dreading that had to be taken in the car? It was excellent. It was spectacular. It was encouraging and exciting and worth every bit of anxiety I had poured into it. Can anyone say book opportunity? Yes!

I have this fantasy about how a perfect life looks. In it, my house is always clean, I am always thin and I always smell nice, even after I work out. Everyone likes me and every day is a good hair day. Magazines want me for their covers and I always take a great photo. Always. And even when I’m looking down into my phone-camera I NEVER have a double chin. Never.

It seems to me that we all stop sucking our thumbs at a fairly young age. We probably give up our security blankets before university. But there are some childish habits that are worse for us than these that are fairly innocuous. There are some things that keep us from true happiness and they come in the form of worthless fairy tales about perfection and they usually start with “I will be happy when…”

Yesterday was a banner day. It started with my weekly Mini Vacation and ended with dinner with friends and falling asleep in the arms of the man I love. In between there were adventures and joys that I hadn’t imagined. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine and it was spectacular.

I hope today fills you up. I hope the sun is shining, at least in your heart, and I hope that you throw perfection out the window where it belongs and bask in the joys that are ours when we choose to see them.

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