Not every day can be a walk in the park and some days feel like long dives off short cliffs (when we hear ourselves tell someone to “Have a date gray! I mean, a GREAT DAY!”…and sometimes, we have to experience the darkness to appreciate the light. We have to experience the bitter to savor the sweet.
Today was tough. I left work feeling ragged and worn, not quite as energized as I have left in the last couple weeks. And as I sit here and type, I realized that today was hard for many reasons. One of which was that I experienced some “darkness”…I saw humanity in its most raw form. Basically, we had something bad happen at our store, the everyday stuff that can happen anywhere. It wasn’t enjoyable, it wasn’t fun, but it was the business of the most fundamental sort. The human spirit isn’t always a positive experience. Sometimes, people aren’t at their best…sometimes, they are at their worst. It affects everyone involved in a different way. For me, it is emotionally exhausting. It’s like when I was a teacher and I felt like no matter what I said or did, my message wasn’t getting through to the students, like I wasn’t “teaching” anything, not doing my job.
Tonight, after a long, demanding day, I reflect on the people in my life. My family and my friends are good people. They are encouraging and uplifting. When I talk to my family or friends, I am strengthened in my spirit. That’s what good people do- they give us a boost in our soul. Even if we feel discouraged, they have something positive to offer us.
Work is sometimes work, challenging and treacherous. Any work can feel this way when we are tired emotionally. I think that it’s even more tiring when we “put on” a happy face for those around us. Everyone at work today was putting on a happy face for the well-being of our store which is what makes me know today was a success in the big scheme of things. It is why we continue to push upward and onward when we face setbacks, because we know that the good can overcome the bad. The “light” can creep into the darkest corners and expose the shadows.
I don’t mean to make today seem like the worst circumstance anyone can face, it just makes me reflect on all those days that feel really arduous, almost like, “what next?” I sometimes appreciate these days because the littlest thing, like lighting a good-smelling candle at home and inhaling my favorite fragrance can make me smile and sigh happily, knowing that I will sleep soundly and wake up tomorrow ready to face anything.
It’s a difficult day that makes me dig down deep and see what I am made of- my inner fibers feel tougher, more honed and ready for any battle that I may need to face. I buckle down and say, “bring it on, world! I am ready…I have coffee and I will serve you this coffee with a smile.” (Even if I want to pour it over your head sometimes…)
good thought.
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