What makes a good day?

Last Saturday was a good day for me.
In fact, the whole weekend was filled with good days, actually splendid days, as we celebrated a 40-year tradition of Fall Festivals at Bethel College, where my husband taught for 30 years.
It all began with the “Taste of Newton” at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The downtown streets were abuzz as hundreds of people greeted friends, laughed together, ate delicious food, and listened to outstanding performances on the street corners.
But that was only the beginning. The good energy from Thursday night continued Saturday morning on the Bethel College campus as, once again, hundreds of people talked, ate, laughed, and enjoyed the many fun activities of the day.
Many in the crowd were alumni returning to their alma mater; the rest were a cross-section from the surrounding area.
Among the highlights of the day for me was spending much of the morning with my son’s college friend, Brent Miller, from Goshen, Ind. It was like old times; reminiscent of the fun we had with Brent and his wife, Roma, during their college years.
Then there were returning faculty “kids,” David and Richard, now themselves turned professor, and a myriad of friends. As an added bonus, former students Norman from Colorado, Dennis and his friend, Sylvia, from Chicago, and Karen from Alabama stopped by at the house.
It was a real treat of a weekend, especially for me, as a “good” day for me is a day when I have an opportunity to interact with lots of interesting people.
But I realize people are different, so last Sunday I asked my family, “What makes a great day for you?”
My son, who is a clay artist and manufactures clay mixers, replied, “A day in the studio, without interruptions.” My husband, a sociologist and author, answered, “Coming up with a good idea when writing.”
And for my daughter, it is having large blocks of time to work in her yard, enjoying nature.
Now, my family members are not hermits and they all love people. But obviously, a real great day for them is different than for me.
What is very important is that people know in their innermost soul what makes them happy. What makes a splendid day for them–giving them contentment, self-satisfaction, tranquility, peace of mind, and genuine happiness.
There are so few days in our lives and some days are not great. Tragedy strikes, we work far too hard, and sometimes we get discouraged and even depressed.
So we can’t afford to waste the good days we are entitled to.
Every day is special and we should live every day purposefully. Remember the Bible says, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”
That’s good advice for anyone. Focus on the day at hand. Make the most of your time. Reject the negative, stay positive. Always be kind.
And save time for the things you really love.
Remember, we live only one day at a time. Make sure that today is a “great” one for you!
Marie Snider is an award-winning health writer and syndicated columnist. Write her at thisside60@cox.net