Great, Good, and Bad days separated by a moment....

I just got done watching “Love and Other Drugs” and it got me to thinking about happy and sad days.... the ones that linger.... the ones that are burned into our memory and won't fade away. The sheer number of each surprises me...

THE SAD

the day we “humanely” ended Tina's life

my first day to school with glasses

the day before and the day of having my appendix removed

the day I got caught stealing

attending Gail's funeral

the day I heard Mom's voice telling me to come home, Dad had died

the day I let a pop fly go over my head

the day I left Duke go to a new family

the day I came home, scraped and bruised and all Dad says is that I can't even ride a bike

the day I realized I was average in seemingly EVERYTHING

the day I had to tell my in-laws that their daughter and I were getting a divorce

the day Elvis died

when I went to the dance with my new platform sneakers and matching hat

the day I realized Vanessa was never coming back to me

the day I wished all the people on earth would just disappear

the day I realized the my ex-in-laws didn't care about me anymore

Heyward's funeral when his son broke down sobbing

the meeting I held to say goodbye to my District in Philly

when Duke was hit by a car

the day when I drove to Toledo to meet someone special and she didn't want to see me

the “immaculate reception”

the first and only home run hit off me as a pitcher

the day when I realized I would never see my Uncle Roger again

the day I lost Ana

when I knew I wasn't picked for the Jr High school basketball team

when I knew I wasn't like John Wayne

Middletown vs Berwick in the 1st state championship

telling Sonia I fell for Vanessa

when Virginia stuck me with the bill for fixing her car

a week after getting married I knew I made a mistake

wrecking my first new motorcycle

THE HAPPIEST

my first kiss

the night before leaving Germany

when I lost my wallet in NYC and a construction worker helped me out

my first visit to a strip club

taking Carolyn on a shopping spree

seeing Niagara Falls

visiting Graceland

my first game I pitched

flying to Florida to get engaged

the first day I posted my blog

bowling 300...twice!

Finding my glasses after losing them neck-deep in the ocean

waking up before Duke and he is sleeping beside me snoring...

having Mom see her son earning awards at convention

buying my Acura

the day Vanessa told me she would marry me

finding my “happy place”

the first time I had sex (all 12 seconds of it! Thanx Jodi!)

when my Aunt Nancy told me Uncle Roger really cared about me

winning dodgeball in 9th grade against the seniors

finding Duke after he ran away

when I found out I officially broke the record for sales


As I look at this list, I am reminded that each and every one of these days were normal ones that would quickly be forgotten. The routine of life is broken up by very few things. A tragedy, a bad decision, or other rotten thing makes it not such a great day, but hopefully one that we can learn from and become a better version of ourselves. It's the bad that makes us who we are and dealing in a positive way is the key to happiness.

Anyone can handle the good days. They are easy. We love to smile and laugh and have joy envelope us like a blanket we never want to get out from under.

But....

That's not reality. We are one moment, one split second away from adding to our list of good days. The reality is ALSO, we are one moment, one split second away from ending our days bad as well. Remember THAT while the tears flow, while the heart breaks, while we swim in the pool of despair...

…. one moment, one split second to go until the tears are dry, the heart begins to heal, and we reach for that blanket once again....