Sam entered the kitchen back door, letting it slam behind him. He dumped his gym bag on the floor, tossed his school back pack onto the kitchen table and slumped down into a chair, heaving an audible sigh. His mother paused from her work at the sink and turned toward Sam, asking, 'Honey, whats the matter?' Sam sighed again and said, 'For once, just once I would like to have a day where everything I want to do would turn out right!' His mother put down her towel, went to stand beside him and said, 'Do you want to tell me about your day?'
Sam replied, 'Mom, I wish I could have just one perfect day.' His mother sat down and asked, 'What would a perfect day be like for you?' Sam rubbed the back of his neck, loosened his tense shoulders, and replied, 'Well, to start, no one would pick on me at the gym, I would know all the answers to my tests at school, and.....well, that would make me pretty happy, I guess.'
Sam's mother said, 'You can always study harder for tests, and that would help you have a better day. But you need to know that people will challenge you all your life until you without a doubt who you are and what you can do. You are still a teen and have a lot of growing to do with a lot of experiences before you can achieve that self confidence you want which will keep you from being bothered by those who pick on you.' When Sam got to the doorway he turned and said, 'Thanks , Mom.' His mother said,'You may never have a perfect day, Honey, but you can always be thankful for the good things that you do have each day. Just look for those things and maybe soon the good things will outweigh the bad ones.' Sam replied, 'You are one of the good things' and he blew her a kiss.
Discussions: Have you ever wished for a perfect day? What would make it a perfect day for you? Is there such a thing as a perfect day? Can your thoughts about your activities during the day be turned from negative to positive, and if so, would that help you have a better day?