There Are No Bad Days...

I know we've all had it. That one experience that suddenly jolts you back to the reality of it all. Where you're reminded just what it's all about? That one moment when you put away all your petty complaints and see life, raw and pure.

I had one of those experiences last week. It was such a powerful experience that even today I'm shaken to my core just thinking about it.

I miss my life. I hate the fact that I'm working long hours and feeling like its all for nothing. I miss enjoying my job. I miss actually getting up in the morning and wanting to go to work.

I keep telling myself I can hold out. That it's just a little bit longer. That "little bit" turns into weeks...months...but it won't be years. Come January I may have to make some difficult decisions.

Before that though I have to get through it. I've had some pretty crappy days lately. The come home, drop your bag where ever it falls, pour a bottle of wine and break down - type of days. It sucks. It truly sucks.

I was having one of those days last week. I got up early for yet another early morning at the office. I trudged my way through getting ready that morning. Cursing at the fact that I knew, I KNEW I'd spend another 12 hours working frantically and not even seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I remember wondering if I was even in the tunnel yet.

I drove to work not really noticing anything. Was it sunny out? Who knew? Was it raining? Did I run over any squirrels? Pedestrians? Did I run a stop light? Just going through the motions.

I got to Starbucks. A small beacon of hope to me. It meant that at least I knew my coffee would be good. That for the next hour I could sip on something that I knew would make me feel good, if only for a moment.

There was just one woman in front of me when I got in the store. They're pretty fast there and they know me so its rare I have to wait. The woman paid and walked away to wait for her cup of joe.

I greeted the barista - thrilled that they knew my drink and even asked if I had my sleeve with me today (I have a special re-useable sleeve thats a flamingo pattern). I paid and turned to wait with the woman in front of me. I noticed her shirt was pink. I've been trained to look at pink and think "breast cancer". Her shirt had writing on it. I glanced again to see if I could see what it said.

Then I gasped. Right there in Starbucks, and another shitty day - it all became clear to me. It was like a big huge bulb went on and everything was good.

Her shirt read: SURVIVOR: There are no bad days!

Suddenly, my problems didn't seem so bad.