Nothing Special

Nothing Special

By Kathy Deters

It was an average morning. A little rushed, but with work and three kids, what morning isn’t? We did the things we had to do—breakfast, homework, reading, clothes and grooming—and piled into the car for the trip to school.

I glanced out the window. It was a cold, gray Tuesday in early December. Nothing special. Not warm, not sunny, but also completely lacking in any prospect of snow and the day off from school and work that it would bring. The excitement of Thanksgiving had passed and we were still three full weeks away from Christmas. There was nary a birthday in sight, nor other vacation day or event to anticipate. It was, as my husband would say, a bit “blah.”

“What’s going on at school today?” I asked my eight-year-old son.

He shrugged. “Eh. Nothing special.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “You know, I watched a movie a few years back and Will Smith said that you should begin each day as if it were on purpose.”

“Really?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

I expected a series of questions about what the statement meant and how it applied to his daily life. Instead I received a series of questions about who else was in the movie (Kevin James), what else he had been in (“King of Queens”), what the movie was about (a relationship doctor), and whether there was a bad guy (Well, maybe Eva Mendes, but not really. Possibly cynicism. Or skepticism. Maybe he was his own enemy, I’m not sure.)

I could see we were veering from my original intent, so I decided to try a different tactic.

“Remember that song we used to listen to all the time?” I asked. “American Authors, ‘Best Day of My Life’? I like that song. When I hear that song, it reminds me that I should appreciate every single day, because every day, no matter how ordinary, is a gift, and I should be grateful.”

“I like that song,” my son agreed. He was warming up to this line of reasoning.

“And if it isn’t the very best day of your life, why isn’t it?” I continued. “Make it the very best day. And the day after that, make it even better.”

It was a catchy song of the usual pop variety, but with an upbeat message that I liked. My son tried singing it to himself softly, but it hadn’t received much air time on the local radio stations recently, and neither of us quite remembered the words. I tried to join in, but floundered.

And then I heard it. The first few words of that song, coming out of my car radio. My son’s face lit up.

“We were just talking about it!” he yelled. We cranked up the radio and both sang along. Suddenly our ordinary day wasn’t so ordinary anymore.

And there it was…a much-needed smile and wink from God. He works, as they say, in “mysterious ways;” sometimes his methods for making his presence known are even creative, clever and fun, if we just pay attention. I am grateful for that simple reminder that he is there, always, even in those average, not-so-special conversations and interactions we have each day, reminding us that, in fact, they are really quite special. And even extraordinary.  (Click here if video doesn't appear)