A Good & Happy Day

Earlier this week, I wrote a post. It was kind of a surrender, this is life, so be it, kind of post about how some days are hard, gray, tricky, iffy beasts. And they are. And I'm happy I wrote it because I think it is important to acknowledge the less-than-sparkly stuff of life. Because it exists. And also because it lends an important and needed contrast to the sparkly stuff.

Speaking of which, yesterday was gorgeous. Yes, the weather was gorgeous, but it was more than that. It was just one of those really good, let me bottle this, kind of days. It began early. I woke up at 5:30am. To Phillip Phillip's "Home" of course. And I tied up my sneakers and I left the house and hit the empty Starbucks on my corner. And I got my coffee and water and then met two friends at the entrance to the park. And then we met over one hundred others for a run to benefit the Richard family in Boston.

My friend Emily ran the Boston marathon last week. She was near the finish line when the bombs went off. Obviously, she was and is very much affected by all that's transpired. And she invited us to be a part of this event. And I was so happy I did it. We decided to walk it which I was so happy about because it gave us a chance to talk and to wonder aloud why a nineteen-year-old would do this and to just be together.

And then I got home and turned around to take Big Girl to school. We had a really good chat in the cab and at the school door, I kissed her goodbye. And then I walked down Madison and got a totally unnecessary blow-out at a salon because I had a lunch event at the American Museum of Natural History. It was so unnecessary and indulgent, but I did it. I walked out with fun, fancy hair. And then I had a call with a fellow author who lives in D.C. We talked about our lives and our work and she's probably going to do a Happier Hour with me this summer. I took the call while walking through the park.

At home, I spent time with Little Girl. The plan was to write, but my babe has been a little under the weather and extra clingy and so I just scrapped my plans and she hung with me and I put away dry-cleaning and she tried on my high heels and helped me pick an outfit for my luncheon. It was good, girly time.

And the luncheon? It was wonderful and interesting. And the fact that it was at the museum where I used to go as a girl, the place where Husband and I had our wedding reception, and now take our little girls? It added some magic. And after? I spent time at an outdoor cafe with Sister C. We chatted about life and motherhood and everything. And then we popped into Jonathan Adler and looked at all of the groovy things we now covet like this fabulous Leila Jeffries Jimmy print.

And then I went to Starbucks and there it was, an empty table next to an outlet waiting for me. I ordered my decaf and I plugged in. And I wrote words. I sipped and wrote and read all the amazing name suggestions on yesterday's post and looked out at the beautiful, sunny day in this city I love. And then I went home to my girls. I gave them a triple shower in our bathroom and then they jumped on our big bed naked, squealing, sliding off the edge of the bed into an enormous pillow pile. And then Husband came home and took over the tail-end of bedtime so I could sneak out for an evening spin class.

And then it was sushi and Mad Men on ye old couch. And a good night of sleep.

It amazes me how good some days can be. And these good days, these brilliant days, are as important to mention and revere as the less-than-stellar ones. So, here I am, doing just that.

P.S. I went back to edit this because I am an editing fiend and noticed how much I overused the words 'happy' and 'good.' I decided, ultimately, to leave it alone, that this overuse is only a good and happy thing, no? :)

Have you had any really good and happy days recently? Do you think it's important in life and in writing to acknowledge both the sparkly and un-sparkly stuff?