Howahya?

This morning I decided to eat breakfast at work. I typically don't like to do this because I'm very particular about how I eat my cereal. I prefer it in a glass bowl, with a metal spoon, and very cold milk (see what I mean). When I decide to eat my breakfast at work, I pack it in a Pyrex bowl, keep the milk very close to my ice pack in my lunch sack, and bring my own spoon.

Today I forgot my spoon.

As it turns out this is the least important of the criteria I prefer for my cereal, so while my laptop booted up I walked down to the cafeteria to grab 2 spoons (one for my yogurt later). I opened the drawer, pulled out 2 spoons, and as I was closing the drawer I heard a cheerful "Good morning, Danielle!".

I looked up to see the coworker whose cubicle is diagonally connected to mine. We often say a Gopher Hello (meaning our heads pop up from the cube farm) and have talked about our respective churches on occasion. "Well good morning to you - how are you today?"

He paused. "OK. Yeah. I'm OK."

I said "Well, that's certainly better than lousy - so it's a great start, right?"

He laughed a bit. "Yeah, that's true..." Then as we were walking back to our cubicles he told me this story:

"There's an 86 year old guy who goes to our gym. Swims, works out, great shape. I saw him the other day and I said 'Hey, how are you?'"

I looked up at my coworker (he's very tall) and watched his face light up as he told the rest of this brief story. "When he answered he said: 'Better today than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow!' Isn't that awesome?"

Better today than yesterday. Not as good as tomorrow.

I had to agree - that is an AMAZING answer to have. What a great outlook on life! To know that each day can bring new and exciting adventures, to always think that the only way to go is up - no matter what the circumstances. There is a lot of credit to be given and something to be said for someone who has that kind of positivity.

Talk about living fully!

That man whom I've never met is now my inspiration for today. I am sitting up a little straighter in my cubicle knowing that today I can be better than yesterday. That tomorrow will be better than today. That no matter what the circumstances, I can find something positive, some area of growth, some way to love someone. While I don't know if I can quite say I'm at the point yet to be like that every day - I can at least start to turn my attitude in that direction. I can practice starting now.

How are you today?