A Blessing in Disguise

Have you ever had one of those days when everything is going wrong? Ever feel like strangling the smiley, caffeine-induced happy idiots who just say "Good morning" routinely and almost robotically every morning before even considering that your morning might not be as bright as theirs? If you have, you are not alone. No matter how good your life is, everyone has one of these days when everything "sucks." How to cope with such days? That's an answer that is different for everyone.

Two weeks ago, I was the victim of one of those dreaded days. It was a Sunday and my day started early in the morning with the loud screaming of my 6-month old baby. As I quickly changed his diaper and prepared his bottle, I realized I had to do some serious cleaning to my messy house. I could tell it was going to be a long day. After my baby finally went back to sleep, I seized the opportunity to do some school work. I turned on my laptop, only to realize that my internet connection was not working. I had a very important project to turn in that same day, and to top it all off, I had a test the next day for which I was not the least bit prepared.

 Time was of the essence, and as usual, every bit of my time was already accounted for. Also, did I forget to mention that it was my best friend's birthday? Of course, my friend's birthday celebration was one more thing I could add to the list of million things I had to do. I completed one task after the other in a hurry. As the day progressed, everything seemed to be going wrong. My baby was crying inconsolably for no apparent reason, my internet was still not working, I could not concentrate enough to study, and I still had a million things to do around the house before my friend's dinner. I literally wanted to break down in tears and just drop everything. Not only did I feel like a failure as a mother, but also as a student and friend.

Eventually, I managed to get everything done. I could barely move my legs. I seriously considered skipping my friend's dinner and dozing off, but then something amazing happened. As I lay there in the couch with my baby in my arms, I was so drained, I could barely hold him. He leaned forward, and for the first time ever gave me a kiss!!! Tears rolled down my eyes as I hugged my little angel and returned the favor by kissing his chubby little face. 

At the end of the day, I could barely remember how tired or frustrated I felt at one point. You know how people say that sometimes you have to go through some really bad things in order to appreciate the good things when they come around? Well, for me, this day was proof that when you feel like everything is going to hell and nothing will ever be right again, your perspective can change. As something as little as a kiss, can change your whole outlook on a day.

Even to me, all these things sound so trivial right now. Yet, that day, these insignificant problems seemed like the end of the world. As unlucky as it was for all these events to happen on the same day, I'd like to think that it was a plan from God to try to give me some perspective on what truly matters. To some, it might sound stupid or even naïve to believe that the events of the day were not mere coincidence, but rather a planned event by a higher power. I'm not one of them. I believe that this crappy day was exactly what I needed in order to appreciate how much I have. In the end, it's not about your possessions, but about the people you love and care about, the ones who can turn your world upside down with just one action.

Next time you're feeling bad about yourself and think that your life is the worst it could ever be, take a look around and appreciate how blessed you are to be alive for one more day.  Whether you believe in God, another deity, a higher power, or none of the above, there is definitely something extraordinary about life and how it is so relative to each person. Don't let little things get to you; enjoy all the good and bad that life brings, because you never know, bad things might just be a blessing in disguise.

(Joana Santillana may be reached at joana.santillana@dusty.tamiu.edu)