page 1 / 4

Another Day

If we have hope, we have the ability to live life in its most abundant arena. We can bounce back from hardship and disappointment, fear and pain because somewhere, somehow we adopted a philosophy allowing us to trust that around the next bend awaits something positive, something promising, something uplifting.

One of life's greatest selling points is that we have tomorrows and a sunrise that promises renewal and growth. We can make a mess of today and have the distinct opportunity to clean it up after a good night's sleep, whether we have treated someone unfairly, been overzealous in reprimanding a child or just chosen the wrong green to paint the dining room. We can learn from our mistakes, do things better, or at least try again. Another Day allows us another chance.

Childhood is a wondrous time, notwithstanding its share of struggles. Each day is filled with the joy of exploration as well as the trials and tribulations that come with uncharted territory. I find my memory bank has no lack of the embarrassing moments, the feelings of rejection and insecurity, the friendships gone awry.

As a parent, my first inclination was to move in too quickly or too often in an attempt to spare a son unhappiness or pain. When I reflect on my childhood, I recognize that those miscalculations and missteps helped shape my character, teaching me about myself and about being resilient and flexible in maneuvering through my daily challenges. In fact, turning mistakes into answers and resolutions can be one of the richest components of a creative life.

Stumbling and falling one day can lead to enlightenment the next. Or at least offer us a decidedly different view of the underside of things. I am reminded of a song from my very early repertoire that cries out for a rewrite. After all, the word "stumbler" does not trip lightly off the tongue:

I seem to be a stumbler through this life
I trip and fall more often than I walk a solid line
But when I'm down I always try to smile
'Cause I know that someday I will stumble onto something fine

back | next