Christmas morning, the first day of vacation, the birth of a child or grandchild – these things definitely qualify as good days. But most days are ordinary days, aren’t they?

One night, three years after my mother died,  I had a dream.  I am standing on the playground of my elementary school and it occurs to me that I would like to drop in and see Mom.  So I leave the playground and start walking that familiar path home.  I know every crack in the sidewalk, every tree along the streets, but I don’t see them now.  All I see, in my minds eye, is Mom sitting at the kitchen table in her housecoat,  finishing her morning coffee and perhaps her crossword puzzle, contemplating the day ahead.  The feeling is amazing, because I know in minutes  I’ll walk in the side door and see her.   I am so close– I know how it feels to just drop in and see her on an ordinary morning, on an ordinary day.

But I was wrong. There is no such thing as an ordinary day. When I awoke, I wondered how many ordinary days I have taken for granted; how many I still miss.

I want to live my life while it’s happening. This means noticing what’s right beneath my nose, not always so easy when it’s my quickly-moving feet of which I’m most aware.

Here are some things that remind me to pay attention; simple things that make an ordinary day a good day for me:

• Accomplishing something I set out to do
• Solving a problem I’ve pondered
• Getting something organized (anything!)
• A visit with a good friend
• Noticing the sunshine and the colors in nature
• A wink and a smile from my husband
• A phone call or Email from my kids
• Meeting my Dad for coffee
• Noticing how everything really is “unfolding as it should”

Do you anticipate the day ahead before getting out of bed?  What makes a good day good for you?

Photo credit: Bethany J Brady