I’ve Had A Day
Today marks the nth day in my frustrations as a human being, i.e., “I’ve had a day.” Before I even finished breakfast, one of our office tenants had notified us that the pavers had blocked off our parking lot, showing up this morning, instead of over the weekend, as promised. Beth and her two clients had had to park next door at the Five Guys. Reading between the lines of text (that my boss usually disdains), Joryn was over the moon angry. On top of that, she had sent me a score of emails over the weekend, with items for me to follow up on “sooner, rather than later.” Oh, and, to make matters worse, it’s a Monday.
Let that sink in. I can only imagine that you, too, have “had a day,” at least once in a while. And, as I’m unable to hear about yours, you, Dear Reader, are first in line to hear about mine.
In a town where public transportation is virtually non-existent, I left the apartment this morning to my poor, beaten down Chevy Cruze notifying me (in the most annoying of ways, you know, “beep, beep, beep . . .”), that her oil pressure was low. And yet, I had no idea what that means. I’m a rising pre-law senior at the University of Tampa. I study communication and philosophy, not cars. Even after speaking with Ashley, the most compassionate car mechanic I have yet to meet, I still have no clue as to what that means.
I’ve spent my day anxiously driving with my co-worker, Josh, first to Walmart, where I, for the first time in my life, bought oil—the life blood of a car’s engine (or so I’ve learned). Unfortunately, my poor Chevy was running low, dangerously low on it. And yet, she failed to notify me of her condition until the last possible second.
Our next stop was Ice Cold Air, where I met the lovely Ashley. So now, I’m reviewing a quote for $1,500 worth of labor and materials, which is a lot of money for a college student with a part-time job to ponder, let alone suddenly spend on a poor, beaten down car that may or may not last another morning rush hour, much less road trip.
Reflecting on My Day
It seems that in the midst of my frustration, I’ve failed to properly reflect on my day. So, after settling my nerves, I realized a few things:
- I cannot change what has happened. Whether I wish or pray for a solution, my poor Chevy is unable to magically fix herself. (Though I wish she could.)
- I can, however, evaluate my choices moving forward. Even if that evaluation includes a looming $1,500 quote.
- And, I can reflect on my day, and in doing so, recognize the little gifts bestowed on me by this intrinsic journey we call life.
Once I was finally able to sit down and truly evaluate my day, I quickly realized that, in just a few hours, I had been given so many gifts. So many in fact, that they outrank my one itty-bitty car issue. So, logistically speaking, I’ve had a far better day than I initially thought.
For starters, my phenomenal boss had no issue with my co-worker spending his time (and consequently, her time) helping this car noob determine which oil he should buy and how to pour it into the correct valve. (Dear Reader, I can hear you laughing all the way from here!) On top of that, she and our business consultant, Gary, donated their own time to ensure that I would be in the best of hands moving forward, connecting me with Ashley, who cleared 30 minutes of her day to personally inspect my depressed car.
And, as if those weren’t enough gifts for one day, Ashley provided me with a full diagnosis of my car—even suggesting that I replace my front brake pads and passenger-side tire. I’m not too keen on car shop procedure (as you know by now), but I do know that time is money, especially when it is spent by busy people like Joryn, Gary, and Ashley.
A Sense of Relief, Even on A Cloudy Day
Life is full of days—too many to count. Life is not, however, full of bad days. Even during the darkest of days, a few (maybe 30) minutes of your time can be used to refocus your mind to revisit the good rather than the bad. Thirty minutes ago, before starting this blog (which is a great stress reliever, BTW), I seriously thought that I had had a terrible day. But after soaking in the details of my day and putting words to paper (or screen), I started to feel a sense of relief. Now that relief is not a solution, for I still have choices that need to be made. But that relief has cleared my mind, alleviating particular stresses and anxiety that have no business clouding my judgment.
One day, but not today, maybe tomorrow, or maybe next week, my poor, depressed Chevy Cruze will bathe in the extravagant 5-W-30 oil she longs for. Until then, why should I bathe in her depressed state? I certainly cannot enjoy the lubricious benefits of 5-W-30 oil, but I can reflect on small moments that ultimately suggest that tomorrow is a new day—full of its own set of gifts and challenges.
If you’re struggling with challenges of your own, whether they be marriage, child(ren), and/or relationship-oriented, give Open Palm a call. We each have our own set of challenges. Our staff recognizes these challenges and awaits the opportunity to assist you in restructuring your family, rather than destroying it. We’d be happy to walk you (and your spouse, if you so choose) through the many divorce process options so that you can determine the best process for your family. (If it’s appropriate, Open Palm offers a dual process consult for spouses who would like to make this decision together.) If you’re considering a divorce, reach out to us at Open Palm.
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Need advice now? Contact Joryn!
Austin joined Open Palm Law in June 2019 as our undergraduate intern. He brings fresh eyes to our firm, with his well-rounded education and diligent work ethic. Austin is a third-year, pre-law student at the University of Tampa. He will receive his Bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Philosophy in May 2021. Joryn “picked him up” at her favorite Starbucks, when he was manning the drive-through window. In the rest of his free time, Austin plays Men’s Club Volleyball and volunteers as a member of the President’s Leadership Fellows and Honors Program.
