Tell Me Something Good

For some reason, I began this "business trip" feeling especially anxious about my responsibilities at work and at home.

My boss is the kind of person that NEVER says "thank you" and is especially stingy with words of encouragement. In fact, the entire office suffers from a deep lack of morale.

My house and yard strike me as in need of repairs and attention. Projects that are...big...huge...overwhelming. In fact, I wake up at night murmuring, "I have 17 rooms to clean. 17 rooms to clean."

I'm trying to finish graduate school, a program I've entered and re-entered three times now. The college had me re-take a course I'd already passed which means I can only go part time next semester which means...no options for loans or financial aid. Oh, and I'm "off sequence" so it is going to take me two more semesters to finish instead of one.

I was looking forward to going to the Puerto Rican Festival with a friend. And four kids. My four kids.

The city just experienced a drive-by shooting that left four young people dead and three critically wounded. I was nervous about the climate in the city (and about keeping my own gang safe and fed). It was awkward and uncomfortable to be frisked going into the festival. One of my boys had his cell phone stolen and sure enough, violence surrounded the festival. Thankfully, we didn't see any of the "action" but the experience was less than entertaining. And far less than relaxing.

Today the stock market fell...a lot.

Please. Please. Please.

Tell me something good.

Well, this morning I submitted my research proposal. Of course, it was submitted 13 hours past the deadline and I failed to review 10 sources (only noticing this requirement after I'd pressed the SUBMIT button).

Give me some credit, please.

Because sometimes we get stuck in kvetching or complaining or self-loathing and we have a symbiotic relationship so it’s like we share a brain, and anyway, the “tell me something good” snaps us out of the nonsense and whining. It forces us to pay attention and to, well, focus on what is good.

On what IS working rather than what is NOT.

It can be anything. Like “today I got out of bed.” << some days that sh*t is hard. It can be “My son graduated. It’s raining and I like it. I ate a beautiful salad. I got a raise. I didn’t have a suicidal thought today.” Anything. So you, tribe, my beloved peeps I love so much…. Tell me something good. I want all of you to comment. Seriously. Let’s do this.