Best Day of My Life

What was the best day of your life? Go ahead. Take a moment to think about it. 

Can you choose just one? 

When I think of some of the best days of my life, memories wash over me. Landing my first teaching job. The day I found out I was going to be a mom. The days I met my babies for the first time. Receiving my master's degree. Meeting Chuck. That morning just after sunrise in the Smoky Mountains when Chuck proposed to me. Marrying Chuck. The first time I went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Adopting our puppies, Bristol and Sami. So many days from which to choose.

Last week, my youngest married his sweetheart. Bridger and Joscelyne had so many amazing days in a whirlwind of a week. They had a bridal portrait session with us on Saturday, got married on Tuesday, celebrated their marriage at an outdoor reception the following Saturday, and left for their honeymoon in the Grand Tetons on Sunday. 

One of the gifts I bought them was a set of matching t-shirts that said BEST DAY OF MY LIFE. I made a point of not giving the shirts to them on their wedding day. My reasoning was this; if, at some future point in time, they look back on their life together and think their wedding day was the best day of their lives, how sad would that be? What about all of those other days?

The handsome prince was so glad the shoe fit his sweet Cinderella.

They received their shirts on a regular old Wednesday, the day after their wedding, and I challenged them to make every day the best day, and not to settle for having their wedding be the best day of their lives. (I'm not talking about achieving perfection on a daily basis, or anything crazy like that; just encouraging them to wake up with a mindset that each day has the potential to be one of the best days so far. 

As it turned out, the day of their wedding reception was a hot, unusually muggy one in Utah. The kids were dreading being in their formal wedding wear, and decided to forgo tradition, and just dress comfortably, wearing their new t-shirts. 

Some days are harder to love than others. They may be too hot, too muggy, too long, or too rainy. Maybe we are sick or in pain or far away from those we love. Many circumstances are out of our control, but what if we tried to make those less-than-perfect days one of our best days?

When I ordered the shirts for Joscelyne and Bridger, I bought one for myself. I thought it would remind me to try to control what I can. Even on a day when everything seems to be going wrong, it's going to be a better day with an attitude that makes the best of things. 

Here's to having the best day we can have, whatever that means to each of us. For me, if I spend time with Chuck, get outside, hear from our kids, spend time with my dogs, read, write, and work with photos, it's a darn good day; maybe even one of the best ones. I hope you have one of the best days today.