Friday, July 31, 2009

Positive Day

Well, the Negatonians among us often seem to have 364 days a year to themselves, so why not one day for the Positonians. Welcome to Positive Day, which is the brain child of Jennifer’s Diva Daughter over on Dust Bunny Hostage.

I’ve been thinking a lot these past few years of all the positive things that have happened in my life. Here are just a few:

I was lucky enough to be born on a farm to parents who loved me and showed by example the rewards of hard work extended over time. You don’t get there in a day.

I was lucky enough to get a good education by people who cared about teaching and who weren’t afraid to question without closing their minds to any potential answer.

I was lucky that I discovered reading early because books have become a major pillar of my adult life.

I was lucky enough to get a job that suited me in a place that I wanted, and to be able to keep that job despite plenty of turmoil and obstacles.

I was lucky enough for the world to conspire to present me with a son named Joshua at the exact time I was most ready to love him. Even if I didn’t realize it was that time.

I was lucky to find at least a few other people who like to hear the kinds of stories I like to tell.

I was lucky enough to find Lana at a time when I was close to going insane and traveling to a place where I might not have come back from.

I am lucky today to have love and be able to give love.

And let’s don’t forget. I’m lucky enough to have today off!
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38 comments:

  1. Love the ending!

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  2. Today off, that is a great thing.

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  3. But are you like Mark? ha ha ha ha ha don't forget to add how fortunate you are for having your wonderful sense of humor.

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  4. I completelly envy you cause you have your day of, and I have not slept and have to go to work.Help!

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  5. Mark,

    Saucy fellow. :)

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  6. Ivan, yep!

    Sidney, gotta love a day off.

    Mark, well it is a rather twisted sense!

    Mariana, I feel for you. I'll try to enjoy my day off slightly less. ;)

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  7. Great post, Charles. My wife, not a morning person, always wonders how I wake up so happy. Well, it starts out with one basic fact: I woke up. When I fell asleep last night, waking up was not a guarantee. That I did means the day, no matter what, will be a day of life. Makes even the worst day okay in my book. I may have to list my own "Luckys" as well.

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  8. There are a lot of things in life I am thankful for and lucky to have. Have a great day off!

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  9. I am blessed to have common sense and logic along with the ability to take responsibility for my actions. :)

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  10. I probably ought to do this sort of thing once a week, since I've been told I have a tendency to be too negative! Interesting the way it also tells so much about you and what you value.

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  11. A lucky man indeed... And enjoy your day off!

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  12. Scott Parker, I usually wake up pretty happy too. I remember once when I was singing in the morning and Lana was not too happy with me. Maybe it's a man thing eh?

    Sarai, so far it's been good. ;)

    BernardL, I have some of those things as well, although I don't always use them.

    Candy, Strangely enough, I've found that thinking more positively has made me more happy these past few years. Could be a coincidence.

    David Cranmer, yep, and incredibly handsome as well. :)

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  13. You are fearlessly honest in this post and our respect for you only grows. The first 2 or 3 items on your list are inestimable treasures indeed!
    And Lana is the ultimate gem, just please ask her to direct her namesake Tropical Storm AWAY from Hawaii. Thank you for sharing this. I fully expect to benefit from your writing manual. And I NEVER read technical stuff like that, but I know your insights wont constain my carefully disordered derangement whence my neologisms and spare (if long!) lines emerge. You probably COULD/DO teach writing!

    Aloha my web brother-

    Comfort Spiral

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  14. This is beautiful. You *are* lucky! And a very zen post, if I may point out!
    :-)

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  15. Would you forgive me if I told you I was surprised that you participated? My I also share that I felt very lucky to have you do so? Thanks Charles.

    And as I was grinning and feeling lucky, my kiddo said "What are you smiling about Mom?" She is impressed that a 'real live writer' participated in Positive Day :)

    Your list was great!

    Negatonians/Positonians... excellent!

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  16. Cloudia, Yes, when I was growing up I just assumed everyone else had great families like mine. I've learned a lot different since. But they really got me going on the route I took. I'll tell Lana about "her icane"

    Chris Eldin, come to think of it, it is rather zen. lol. That wasn't even intended. Just came out. Good to see you.

    jennifer, well I don't very often take part in web based things. But it was just too cool to pass up. and we could all use some more positives in our lives. I think I'll write a story about the Negatonian/ Positonian chasm. lol.

    sage, I believe I said much the same thing! ;) Thanks for visiting.

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  17. you're a lucky man!

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  18. Great post - I fell lucky to have read it.

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  19. Positovian, eh? Let me try. Hmmmm....I'm glad I'm a nihilist. No, that just doesn't have the same feel to it, does it? I'll have to work on it.

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  20. Dianne, indeed I am. :)

    Gary ARCHAVIST, LOL.

    Stewart Sternberg, Ah a negatonian, I see. Come from the distant planet of Negatonia.

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  21. Ditto! I love Fridays myself.

    Thinking about all of the beautiful, positive things in our life does gives us something to look forward to at the end of the day.

    A child's hug.

    A hubby's smile.

    A phone call from a dear friend.

    Unexpected money from someone who you thought would never pay you back. :)

    See, it's the little things that make me smile

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  22. great stuff, charles... and i ditto mark :)

    hope all your tomorrows are uncloudy days...

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  23. Charles you do know how to inspire. I love that about you.

    Soft love,
    T

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  24. (1) I could get into a national positive day (or NPD).

    (2) Regarding your previous post, I agree the 1980s were full of terrifying alien creatures: Ridley's alien, the Thing, The Terminator, Young Republican clubs, and so forth.

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  25. Amen! Ditto, ibidem, yes!

    Every day a new adventure . . . and far better than the alternative, at least for now ;->

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  26. BIBI, unexpected money is certainly always good.

    laughingwolf, I'd certainly like to ride the luck train a while longer.

    Tara, thanks. I appreciate that.

    X. Dell, the scariest thing, is that 80's young repubs become 90s middle aged repubs who finally have power.

    Erik, I do wake up charged each day these days, thinking that good things will probably happen.

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  27. You're too kind, as usual. *big hugs* There are a lot of things to be thankful for & happy about, but you're at the top of my list. ;)

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  28. A day off is definitely a positive thing. Wish I'd had one today!

    Thanks for participating. It meant a lot.

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  29. Anonymous6:22 AM

    Damn you Charles! Hold me!

    Wil Harrison.com

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  30. Lana Gramlich, yeah, I'm pretty amazing. ;)

    Travis, they are precious things, to be treasured.

    Wil, but won't Heff be jealous?

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  31. Happy is the man who knows his fortune!

    I am with Scott Parker,
    trying to remember how lucky I am to be alive and healthy. I am an early bird by training, not by nature, but have grown intoxicated by the pleasures early mornings offer.

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  32. I liked that ending too!

    Here's to having the day off -- and all the other good things in life that make it worth living.

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  33. Anonymous5:05 PM

    What a great list. I love this: "I am lucky today to have love and be able to give love." Excellent. Happy Positive Day, 2009. Aloha :)

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  34. Great post.

    However, the best thing about having a day off during the M-F drudgery, is having it off with pay.

    Posilutely Absotively.

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  35. Hey Charles,

    This is great -- I love your list! It's a really good idea to try and remember the things that have happened well that might have gone otherwise. Your comment about Lana really struck me as lovely and wonderful. Since I started my day trying to pray about what I'm grateful for, it's helping. When I get into bitch and whine mode, I try to remember how lucky I am to do what I love and to have so many wonderful friends. No external bullshit can mess with that!

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  36. Merisi, I've only become that kind of man in the last few years. I know I 'love' the early morning when I get up in it, but making myself get up is the hardest part. Still morning becomes electric as they say.

    Mary Witzl, indeed! ;)

    Thom, thanks. And thanks for visiting. I appreciate it.

    G, well, I arrange my pay so that it's spread over the time I have off. Sort of feels like I'm getting paid even if I'm not really.

    Michelle, I tell you what, I can never totally escape my own whine and moan behaviors. But at least once in a while I rise above it. It's not easy.

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  37. It's always good to count your blessings as it brings more.

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