There's a bright spot somewhere

Each day I go through the same basic routine; however, this doesn't mean each day is the same. There are those uncontrollable factors that tend to set the tone for the rest of the day. Sometimes they are significant enough we ignore them, and sometimes they keep adding up, making them difficult to overlook.

One morning in particular I had started my day a little frazzled. Hurrying through the hall with a very full, very hot cup of coffee. The sleeve of my robe caught on a door knob. In a split second, my white silk robe was covered in coffee, not to mention the closet door and the puddle that had settled in the hallway. Cleaning up my little mishap, I continued my morning routine. Once at work my mood continued to plummet. Everyone who wanted to whine or complain had saved it for this particular day. I was in too deep; my hopes for an upbeat, pleasant mood didn't have a chance.

Finally, the work day was over and I escaped to the comfort of home. It would take a national disaster or an act of God to budge me, I thought, nestling into my favorite chair. I should never have been so absolute in my thinking. Only moments after I welcomed the solace of being home, my son informed me he had to go back to school. The material he needed to study for a test had been left in his desk, making a return trip a necessity. As I gave my "How could you be so irresponsible" speech, we traipsed back to get his papers.

Still aggravated at having to leave the house, I wasn't very pleasant during most of the ride. Ignoring my son's suggestion to look out the window, I wallowed in aggravation and drove on. On the way home, making his second attempt, my son drew my attention to a wooded area along side the road. There, amidst the bare, harsh-looking trees of winter, were hundreds of daffodils. They were beautiful. Their bright yellow was such a contrast to the bleakness of February and the crazy weather caused by el Nino.

They were such a refreshing sight it caused my bad mood to soften. I would never have thought a field of flowers could have changed the gruff mood that had loomed about all day; and to think, I almost missed the sight because of my frame of mind.

Sometimes, when we least expect it, a bright spot can appear out of nowhere to lift our spirits and brighten our day, but we have to be willing to let it. I wonder how many pleasant moments I've missed because I've been too grumpy to look.