Uneventful Days

"Give thanks for uneventful days."

My sister's saying comes from when my parents were alive, and were both in the same hospital at the same time, having had bypass surgeries within weeks of each other.

And, though they both just had major surgery and were several floors apart, they still found a way to bicker - usually through my sister and me, who ran back and forth between the two rooms.

It was a crazy time. And, after awhile, it took its toll. Because, unfortunately, caretakers don't often take care of themselves.

Then, after their surgeries, they were never the same, and were in and out of doctors for years.

Which led to my sister's saying.

She realized that, because so many days are stressful, because every day seems to bring a new anxiety, whether it's about a parent, or a child, or a bill that you just can't pay, sometimes the greatest blessing can simply be an uneventful day.

A day that stands out because it doesn't.

Of course, when we're young, we want excitement.

But, as we get older, the things that disrupt our lives and plans often become so much bigger and more frequent, that all we want is to take a breath.

So, now, when my sister and I talk, we try to recognize when we're having an uneventful day. When no one's sick. When our jobs are going well. When, for at least a day, the only thing we have to worry about is having nothing to worry about.

And, on those days, we take a moment to appreciate the quiet and routine. When nothing much happens.

And nothing never seemed sweeter.



Copyright 2010, James. R. Warda. All rights reserved.