Trying to Not Have One of "Those" Days

I am standing in line in a food store in Costa Rica. In front of me sitting in a shopping cart is a little girl about 3 years of age staring at me---one of two white people in the whole store.

Her dark chestnut spiral curls bob up and down and she shyly cocks her head at me. Her deep brown eyes find mine and her beautifully bronzed skin glows with the reflection of her sunny yellow shirt. I smile at her. She smiles at me.

"Como se llama?" I attempt to ask her in my best Spanish.

Her face explodes in a grin and she begins to speak to me much too fast for me to understand and what she has said. Her eyes and smile show anticipation in my response so I say, "me llamo Sarah." Another excited vocal explosion occurs and somehow we manage to carry on a conversation.

Later the clouds cover the sky in a misty gray yet I see a twirling whirl of blue. As the motion subsides I see another little girl, about 7, enjoying herself. She twirls some more and stops briefly to stare at the ocean before twirling again. Her simple joy of life is evident.

The small part of Costa Rica I saw was pretty poor and dirty, yet there were sprinkles of beauty.

It struck me that here I was an American visitor who is blessed with two houses, three cars, money in the bank account, able to vacation, and yet I still find times to complain.

Like today, I sit here feeling overwhelmed with all that I must do and my mood is somber as I feel like I am keeping my beach bum husband on the wrong island. It all causes me to pause.

It is okay to have "those" days. You know, "those" where you seem to reflect on the negatives, but today I cannot help but think about a bright spot of blue against a gray background.

I stop the sorrow train of thought in my mind and begin to list off all the joy, and grace, and love that has been given to me in my life. And begin to turn this day around.