“People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

(Inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa’s children’s home in Calcutta)

I often see quotes that resonate with me or ones that I simply enjoy, but today the above passage was a gift in the moment. A sigh-of-relief-inducing, stop-everything, take-a-deep-breath, remember-bad-days-are-temporary, reset-and-sit-with-God-for-a-few gift. A get-out-of-the-weeds, step-back-and-look-at-the-big-picture gift. A gift that stopped the negative momentum of the day and restored some good. Whew.

We all have bad days…and it’s totally normal and even expected. But sometimes we’re lucky enough to learn a thing or two and gain some perspective right in the moment. So ultimately, for me, today was a good crappy day.

But look who’s having a really good day… Evie!

Happy Birthday, Evie!

I don’t know Evie, but I remember when they hung this banner for her 100th. And her 101st. I will never know her, but I am so very happy for her and her loved ones each year.

Evie, you are my day four of surprising delight and joy. I’ll be watching and waiting for 103 at this time next year.