Making a Lousy Day Better

I suppose everyone has a lousy day from time to time.  Not long ago, I had one of those kind of days.  A business associate left Kid's Imagination Train without giving notice, leaving me to fill in for her duties at the last minute.  Luckily, I had some clues that this might happen, so I prepared in advance.  Looking back, it was for the best.  My former partner is probably happier and I have fewer worries.  More, her departure pushed me to be creative with KIT.  And I could not be more pleased with the direction it has taken.

As I look back, it was truly an awful day.  A question kept burning:  How could anyone treat another person that way?  It really bummed me out.  But that question would never get answered.  So, I had two choices: to continue to have a bad day, or to do something to make the day a little better.  I choose the second. 

Early each morning I take a walk and pass by a dry cleaning business.  Cathy, the owner always waves or says hello to me.  It occurred to me that on this lousy day I could do something nice for her.  I was on my way to the grocery and decided to buy a potted flowering plant. 

When I gave it to her she looked stunned.  “Why?” she asked.  I said, “It’s a ‘because’ plant.”  I did not go into any details about my day.  I told her it was because she was always friendly to me.

Believe it or not, the little plant still blooms even months after it had been given as a gift.  Cathy tells me that people remark about it when they stop in.  As for me, it never reminds me of my lousy day.  Instead, it reminds me of hope and kindness.  It makes me smile knowing that a small gesture made my day better and someone else’s day a little bit brighter.