Getting passed the semi-trucks of life.

What a day!

My day started out like any usual day. Alarm sounded at 5:15. I hit snooze twice, showered, dressed, did my hair and make up. I ground my favorite coffee beans and brewed a cup of coffee, ate some cereal and then headed to work. Pretty normal.

On my commute to work the traffic seemed busier than usual but my audio book had a calming affect on my nerves. I usually avoid talking about traffic but a kind, most simple gesture is worth mentioning. So here goes...

I got stuck behind a semi-truck and I say stuck because he was hauling his load at about 55 mph, much slower than my normal speed that would get me to work before 7 am and as I looked in my rear view mirror I found the traffic in the left lane went as far back as I could see. Plus, semi trucks are scary. All that metal, all that weight, those big wheels. Yikes! I was stuck. 

But I needed to get passed this rig. So, I put on my blinker to merge and after 2 cars passed the third one in line slowed down and even motioned for me to merge over. So I did. I was so excited I wanted to roll down my window and wave a big ol' 'Thank You.' I was so excited this person let me in. I could now get passed that semi-truck.

After I passed the semi-truck I merged back into the slow lane and out of my new best friend driver's way. I looked over as he passed me and we smiled and waved at the same time. The same time! Yes, I was smiling even more. That is what you call common courtesy. That is the simple kindness the world needs more of. This complete stranger saw my turn signal, paused for a second to slow down for me. He took 2 seconds out of his day for me.

I thought to myself, 'this is going to be a great day.' Little did I know...

My day would be much more complicated then trying to pass a semi-truck.

Somehow, daycare had Edee's Grandma as a point of contact and called her instead of Ryan or myself. Somehow we didn't have a schedule of events for the Summer and today was water fun day. Somehow we interpreted Edee's, 'they give me lunch,' as lunch is provided every day. 

E was given ravioli that she has told me, in several different ways, was disgusting, including: "Mom, I kept burping all day today and it tasted like that nasty stuff inside the ravioli. It smelled good but it did not taste good. I wanted to puke. What is that stuff inside there? I don't like it." She will never forgive me for this day. Even as I sit, poolside writing this she is talking about those darn raviolis. 

Edee also let me know she went to the splash pad today and "could've worn my new 2 piece bathing suit if you would've packed it." Like the world is indeed ending. Thanks for the constant reminders that I didn't have it all together today, kid. 

Now that is what you call a hot mess. I promise you, the world does not need more of it.

I hope your head doesn't hurt after reading all that because mine sure did from the amount of things that went wrong, but you know what? I survived the day and more importantly so did Edee. Sometimes you have to pause for a minute and  sometimes you just have to show yourself a little bit of kindness, like my new best friend driver I mentioned earlier, and realize no one is perfect. You can't get everything right 100% of the time, but you can be kind.

It's more important and more meaningful to show kindness and patience and smile about the simple things. At the end of a long, chaotic day we learned a few lessons, 1. Edee may never eat ravioli ever. 2. Sometimes you get stuck and have to figure out how to get passed the semi-trucks of life. 3. You can't do it without a little bit of kindness.

Keep loving,
Karlee