I’m assuming most people don’t make up stories to write their blogs. Just so you know, I never do. I’m writing this because of something that happened to me 15 minutes ago.
I was carrying my little girl on our way home from her school. And she was doing something really cute. And she knew it. She would lean in really close to my face, her hat barely on the top of her head. And she would taunt me about our dog going to the bathroom on our carpet. Then she would laugh. And I was smiling and laughing, one of those deep, real, true laughs.
Then a guy I’d never met before, a guy I’ve never even seen before in my life, who happened to be walking towards me, leans in and very loudly says to me, ‘Great day. Great day.’
As in, ‘I can tell you are having a great day.’
Now, the truth of the matter is, it’s been a brutal stretch for me. I’ve had lows before, but these last few days, I think are probably my lowest. Today is equally as bad as yesterday, which was equally as bad as the day before. It hasn’t been getting better.
I intentionally spare you all a lot of the details about my life. Not because I’m trying to stay mysterious, but I do so because my struggles are really no different than yours. And I feel like my details would get in the way of people seeing that. So just imagine a really low point in your life, and some random guy in a Yankees hat, sees you, and leans in with that. It made me think he could see depression in my eyes. It made me think he was a like a guardian angel. There, only to remind me of something.
And, he made me think about what I did that day.
In the morning, I got some alone time with my son. Which, in an apartment in New York with two kids and a dog, in the winter, isn’t very easy to get. We played a matching game and did two puzzles, while my daughter, wife, and dog all slept. He didn’t want to eat breakfast, because he just wanted to play…with me. And we did. And that was awesome.
In the afternoon, I got a chance to observe my daughter in school. I got to see her shine in class. She was sweet, and well behaved, and fantastic to both the teachers and kids. And we walked home together. It was hilarious. I genuinely laughed about 20 times in 9 blocks.
It got me to thinking, what the f else matters besides that? What else could be so bad in my life?
Who would think, walking down the street in New York that some random person would even talk to you? Even say anything. It just doesn’t happen here. It’s not really in a bad way, but people here generally just don’t care about your life. But this guy apparently did.
Thank you Mr. Yankees hat. I hope someday to repay the favor, but just knowing New York, I doubt we’ll ever cross paths again. So, maybe I can just pass your simple words of wisdom along.
So to you all, look around at your own life. I’m sure there is so much to be thankful for. So much to be happy about. Sometimes it just takes a different shade of glasses to see all those things. Sometimes it takes a bit of good news in one area of your life to see all the good things in the others. Sometimes it takes a guy in a Yankees hat walking down the street, just to say one simple thing…twice. So I say to you, great day, great day.
Maybe you’re having a great day too, but just don’t know it yet. Pick your chin up. Think about it. I’m going to have an even better day tomorrow. So should you.