Today was a heavy day.
Not a bad day, a heavy day. A day when real-life stresses feel overwhelming and seem to physically weigh me down. A day when it seems like jobs are hard and money sucks and nothing is simple and solutions seem far away or non-existent.
So towards the end of the day I was making dinner and feeling relieved that the end was in sight. That maybe tomorrow wouldn't feel so heavy. And then my phone rang. And it was Tod. And he had a flat tire. Heavy just got heavier.
He didn't have a jack so we waited for almost three hours for our insurance company to arrive. While waiting, this guy pulled up and offered his help. I told him no thanks; someone was on their way. He drove away and came back five minutes later with a jack to fix the tire. But we had no wrench. So he drove away AGAIN and came back with a wrench and changed the tire for us. It was obvious he'd just gotten off work and was headed home for dinner. We thanked him and as he walked away I told him, "Something good is going to happen to you for doing this for us."
His reply:
"Something good already did happen to me. Two good things. I have a boy and a girl at home. Have a good night."
Not a bad day, a heavy day. A day when real-life stresses feel overwhelming and seem to physically weigh me down. A day when it seems like jobs are hard and money sucks and nothing is simple and solutions seem far away or non-existent.
So towards the end of the day I was making dinner and feeling relieved that the end was in sight. That maybe tomorrow wouldn't feel so heavy. And then my phone rang. And it was Tod. And he had a flat tire. Heavy just got heavier.
He didn't have a jack so we waited for almost three hours for our insurance company to arrive. While waiting, this guy pulled up and offered his help. I told him no thanks; someone was on their way. He drove away and came back five minutes later with a jack to fix the tire. But we had no wrench. So he drove away AGAIN and came back with a wrench and changed the tire for us. It was obvious he'd just gotten off work and was headed home for dinner. We thanked him and as he walked away I told him, "Something good is going to happen to you for doing this for us."
His reply:
"Something good already did happen to me. Two good things. I have a boy and a girl at home. Have a good night."
And suddenly I felt lighter.
[Two reasons for me to feel lighter everyday]
Because it's true. What really matters on this earth is so simple but we complicate it and lose sight of it and let the heaviness set in. Suddenly I forgot some of the hard stuff and remembered the sweet things we easily ignore. And it made me want to make other people's days less heavy because sometimes you just need a little lift, you know?
I've always noticed that after a heavy day there's usually some sunshine ahead. My mom used to say, "Things will look better in the morning."
Tomorrow will be lighter.
5 comments:
thanks for the reminder: I have a long-awaited baby on the way and an absolutely amazing wife waiting for me and that's all that matters.
My life is perfect with just those two things, nothing else matters. :)
I needed this post, Holly. Thanks.
i NEEDED this like no other. thanks for this. sometimes i forget what really matters.
That guy was a saint. The world could use more people like that... You are one of them. Thanks for the sweet post. XOXO
wonderfully put. thanks for the much needed reminder.
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