Have you ever awoken in the morning and made the commitment to have a great day regardless of what was thrown at you?

You step outside to get the paper and rather than saying, “Damn its cold,” you say instead, “Oh look how beautifully the sun sparkles on the snow”. You tackle the taxes and determine it wasn’t such a chore, and that you shouldn’t have put it off. You pay the bills without going into the red; even having some money left over to transfer into savings.  The dishes get done, the laundry gets sorted and you haven’t raised your voice even once.  Hour by hour you work at keeping your commitment.  It is going to be a great day.

Then the phone rings and the world stops, just for a precious moment, held still by comprehension’s slow process.  You take a breath and the crying begins, sadness and joy combating inside your heart and brain.  You know that the day could have been worse, that you have been blessed, but the moment of fear is still etched in your mind.  You know that all will be well again, just not until after the suffering, the struggle and the remorse. You have teenagers and a great day is one where they are blessedly safe.