Any Day Can Be A Perfect Day

Recently my husband Russ and I were headed to a Kiwanis lunch meeting at a club about an hour away. Yes, we're Kiwanians....and you may have no idea what that means. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one community, and one child at a time. Our club was founded in 1919, and devotes its time to projects that help kids. Russ is Lt. Governor for our Division of nine clubs, and I am heading up a district project for North and South Carolina in partnership with The Health Adventure, a children's science and education museum (on my website, see "Paths to Inspiration - Service" section).

Anyway, we were traveling there to induct three new members, and present a special service award the club arranged to honor their only remaining founding member as a surprise. As we waited in a parking lot that morning to see if any other folks would join us for this meeting, a man materialized out of nowhere and asked us what time it was. I rolled the window down to talk with him, and he asked us if we had a minute.

With pain filled eyes, he began to tell us how he had arrived there that day. A story of struggle and challenge poured out, and he told us that he really just wanted someone to talk to. We listened, compassion filling our hearts, and gave him money so he could get something to eat. It's not unusual for that to happen, but it was strange how he appeared in the middle of an empty lot without our having seen him when we pulled in.  We were both filled with intense gratitude for all that we have, and all the ways the universe provides us to be in service to others. As Russ was finalizing his remarks for the meeting, he came across this quote, one he would later use to relate the experience we had just had.....

                "You cannot live a perfect day without doing
                             something for someone who will 
                                  never be able to repay you."
                                  John Wooden, College Coach

Every morning the sun rises, painting the horizon crimson and lavender and bringing with the dawn the promise of a new day. It doesn't matter if you didn't get your project done yesterday, or if you cheated on your diet, or fell off the wagon, or were unkind to yourself. Each day starts with that promise - it's a new day, and filled with opportunities just waiting for you.....

I pray that today, you experience a perfect day.