How my best worst day put me right where I didn’t know I needed to be
As bad days go, it was one of my worst in a long time.
I say that knowing in the greater scheme of things, I have nothing to complain about.
Usually, I can reset the day by focusing on something I am good at.
But on this day, everywhere I turned, I seemed to be disappointing someone.
A client.
A family member.
A friend.
Enough is enough
I made it until 3 pm when I had enough and turned to the only place I know I can clear my mind.
I laced up my running shoes and headed out.
By “running,” I mean this thing I do putting one foot in front of the other and moving in a forward direction with fresh air filling my lungs and uplifting music piped into my ears.
My version of “running”
Husband calls it my “shuffle.”
Fine. I’ve never been interested in how fast I can go.
This was unfortunate as a member of my high school cross country team.
Now, it just feels like amazing free therapy.
I was making my way back from my four-mile loop when I crossed the busiest intersection of the run.
I noticed a woman trying to turn left with a big dog hanging out her back window, a giant black and white powder puff, one of those shaggy “doodle” mixes.
Sudden chaos
Just as I stepped onto the curb, I heard car horns blaring. I swung around to a terrifying scene. The dog had jumped out of the car window and was lacing its way through traffic.
I realized I was the only one remotely close enough on foot to get close to the dog. I headed back toward the traffic, trying to get the dog’s attention. For some reason, she locked eyes and came to me.
I brought her back across the traffic to her human. As I handed the leash over, the woman started bawling, unable to get out a complete thought, “Didn’t know. Didn’t see. Gone. Oh my God.”
I pointed toward the street, toward all the cars that were still stopped, all the drivers looking her way.
For once, everything went right!
-Me to frazzled human reunited with her dog
“Look,” I assured her. “For once everything went right. The cars stopped. Your dog came to me. I was right here to bring her back to you. Just one of those things doesn’t happen and this is a very different story.”
She thanked me profusely.
I ran the scene over my head as I shuffled back home.
How I was there to bring her back. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Have you experienced this, Dear Reader? Propelled by various events, some sad, devastating, tragic, things you have fought. It was all about getting you to the place where you were supposed to be, where you were most needed.
That’s what happened this day for me.
Today, I’m back at trying to clean up the ways I’ve fallen short.
When it gets to be too much, I’m flashing back to the best worst day I’ve had in a long time.
While you’re here…
If you like this story, you might enjoy my book,
