Have A Great Day

That’s usually how I sign my emails, end my phone calls.

But the other day I paused before I hit send.

Because I knew the person wasn’t having a great day. Not even a great week, or month or year. Not even a good one if you took the time to ask them, more importantly if you took the time to listen, and to maybe read between the “I’m ok thank you’s”.

Words. Those dang pesky things. Those letters we put together to try to convey our thoughts, ideas, beliefs and feelings.

I contemplated, what do I really mean when I say “Have a great day!”?

The dictionary defines great as remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness. I’ve come to realize that life is mainly about how we choose to perceive things, and that includes how we interpret “great” in our own reality.

For a new mom with her second baby a great day might be 2 children napping at the same time and an adult conversation.

When a loved one is hospitalized with a stroke a great day might be when they recognize you and can say your name again.

A parent with an autistic child may tell you it was a great day because their child hugged them for the first time in six months.

Someone grieving the loss of a loved one might say it was a great day the first time they woke up and didn’t burst into tears.

Someone living with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy has a great day when they don’t feel nauseous, have an appetite and feel strong enough to go out.

An unexpected visit can change a miserable day into a great day for a someone experiencing loneliness.

When losing someone to Alzheimer’s a great day is realizing today they remember you.

For someone struggling with depression, a great day is the day you feel hope again.

Great days.

They don’t have to be big.

There doesn’t have to be fanfare.

Sometimes to anyone else they can even be inconspicuous. Great days are a very personal thing. Great days are made up of tiny little special moments. We just have to see them.

No matter how you feel. Find your great. No matter how big, how obvious, unexpected or elusive. Find it. Make it if you must. Embrace it. So have a GREEEAAATTT day.

Because it’s all good. It’s really just how you choose to look at it.