AVERAGE IS A BLESSING, TOO

A couple of years ago, I was walking down the street on an average, sunny day—so average that I found myself complaining that "nothing" was happening. I pouted for about thirty seconds about my perception that the day was boring and nothing exciting was going on in my life at the moment (read: some of my goals and dreams hadn't come to fruition). As soon as I finished the complaint, the "good voice" in my head told me to acknowledge the fact that what I had noticed was actually a blessing—it reminded me that I was complaining about something that wasn't a given: a completely peaceful day where there was absolutely no drama, accidents, or chaos to deal with, when, somewhere in the world, probably not far away, someone was not having my harmonious day. Even though I was still working on accomplishing this-and-that goal, the real benefit was that I was able to enjoy a fulfilling walk in the sun without any real upset in my life or immediate environment.

At the time, I was in the middle of a writing challenge my colleague started on Facebook, where, for 30 days, we would write at least one Haiku a day. Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry with three lines and 17 syllables total—first line 5, second line 7, third line 5; and it usually centers on nature or perspectives on everyday subjects; but the idea is to arouse the reader's senses or evoke a certain feeling. Because I was in creativity mode at all times during that month, always thinking of the next Haiku, my mental juices were in full swing when I had that revelation, and a great Haiku came to me that I really connected with on a deep level. I titled it "THANKLESS":

Days without mishap
are stepchildren of blessings:
ignored and unloved 

As I thought more about it, I realized there are so many people who move through their days with complete disregard for the fact that they're making it through without incident—just step right over it like smooshed gum on the street. It's like no one cares about those days, like they don't deserve recognition. In fact, it's as if the perception is that if all's quiet on the Western front, it's a problem. The real problem is that we just aren't grateful enough for those quiet days. We're always looking for or expecting the excitement, the joyous moments, and even the unhealthy drama. It's like the day is a total bust without them. But in reality, a quiet, "uneventful" day is a huge success. It reminds me of Ice Cube's hit song "It Was a Good Day." Sometimes, preferably regularly, you gotta take time to give props to those days.

Well, I liked the sentiment so much that I decided to put it on a T-shirt and wear it frequently, as a reminder to praise easy days. Later, I decided I'd like to put more of my Haiku poems on shirts. I didn't actually do it until last week, along with a few empowerment quotes I came up with (right now they're faith-based, but others are on the way), and I'd like to share them with you.

If you see something you or someone you know might like, then please feel free to put in an order (they make great gifts!). And, of course, "Thankless" is among the options. (Please note that if you're using an iPhone or Android, the page is best viewed with your screen rotated vertically.)

Let's try to remember that every day won't be full of fireworks and rah-rah. Sometimes it's good to just enjoy the comfort with which you move through your circumstances, and toast to that victory at the end of the day.

Always remember to honor the spirit.