I believe. This is the season of believing, and what happened yesterday is proof.
Yesterday was a bad day. Period. School was difficult, and nothing I was doing with children made an ounce of difference. When I got home, Hubby asked, “How was your day?” I said, “I don’t want to talk about it.” I didn’t. Why hash all that went wrong?
I went to the grocery store and splurged on a Powerball Ticket. The clerk is always wonderful and chatty. She asked how my day was, and then I asked how her day was.
“My thirteen-year-old is bullied in school, and they are doing nothing about it. Today we got an eviction notice. We have to be out by the end of January.”
So, here is this happy person, someone I enjoy talking with when I’m at the store, and her bad day makes mine seem like peanuts. I asked her to blow on my Powerball ticket for good luck, because I’d give her a million dollars if I won.
Giving. That’s what it’s all about.
And then more happened.
I went to pick up a sandwich on the way to school today. A former parent was there, and she was excited to see me. She needed to tell me about her son, and how life is not so good. She cried. Then she took my shoulders and said, “Your blog has saved me. I read every post. It’s what keeps me going. I don’t know how I’d survive without reading your blog.”
My goodness. I hugged her. I had no words. Everyone in the store was looking. You could have heard a pin drop.
When you have a bad day, remember someone else had a day (or more) that is worse.
Count your blessings, because there are many. You just might not see them at the time.
Believe. Right around the corner is something wonderful. You just have to look for it. That takes patience, which I’m still working on. In this case, the two events are proof.
“People will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
~Maya Angelou~
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Silver linings Jennie 🙂 hope your days are good now.
Yes, I always look for the silver linings. Days are usually good. Many thanks, FR.
yes, absolutely. every word of this.
😍
Remembering to be grateful and counting our blessings are two quiet yet super powerful life practices available to each one of us (if we can remember to take a few deep breaths and slow down in order to regain perspective…) Somehow they also tend to evoke empathy, too. Thanks for another human, inspiring blog post, Jennie!
Well said, Will. Those few deep breaths make a difference. We have the children take those breaths, too. Perspective is important. I like how you commented on evoking empathy. Many thanks, Will!
Spontaneously feeling genuine and profound gratitude is a wonderful thing. Thanks for sharing yours, Jennie. I love that quote too. Hugs on the wing.
Every time!
I know how that mum feels Jennie your blog means the world to me too 💜💜💜
That was my dad’s philosophy: no matter how bad things are, someone else has it worse. I have to keep reminding myself. Your blog has made a difference to so many, Jennie.
This was a profoundly moving post, Jennie. Thank you for sharing your highs and lows and your connection to others. 🤗💕
The power of compassion. Empathy and understanding. Caring about the lives of others, people we don’t know, people struggling to get by in a world that has gotten so very very cold. Thanks for sharing this.
A teary eyed post, Jennie. L ike the song says, ‘Count your blessings instead of sheep.’
I do think like that, Jennie. It is so true. Well, I go too far. My kids tell me about their ‘bad day’ and I say ‘Suck it up buttercup’ and I tell them about other people with worse days. THAT doesn’t work!
Thank you, dear Jennie, for looking at life in this perspective.
There is always always someone who has it tougher than ourselves, who brings home to us, just how grateful we are for those reminders that we can turn our thoughts around, to give our thoughts and prayers to those whose predicament is worse than our own.
Im just so grateful that we’ve received news today that our granddaughter may be allowed home from the hospital tomorrow.
Joy, oh Joy, she is coming home ..
I’ve been quiet recently due to family health issues.
Your posts, Jennie, always are uplifting..
Thank you. And may all your future days be MERRY AND BRIGHT ✨️💜✨️