Every morning when the sun rises…

Every morning when the sun rises, we are given a new day. Given a new day. We didn’t necessarily earn this day. We were given it as a gift. I believe someone somewhere thought we could do something good for the world…today. And that’s also the reason why

Sunrise in Naples, Florida

we’re given tomorrow. Sometimes, observing the countenance, demeanour and conduct of people, I find we take this for granted.

During this summer, when Massachusetts was in a heat wave, I went swimming nearly every afternoon at our local public swimming pool. I frequently encountered kids I knew from my old public school who still remembered me. I would bring a book and read at the pool, laying on my stomach on my towel. Just for the sake of vexing my peace and serenity in the book, they would come and splash water in my face or talk to me. When they did, something like “you should just go and kill yourself” would always come up in the conversation if the kids didn’t agree or understand what I was saying. I couldn’t apprehend their purpose in saying this just because they thought differently, or just because they couldn’t understand. Did they not realize how precious life was? That someone somewhere gave us this day so we could do something good for the world? I know one thing for sure: telling your frenemy to kill herself sure isn’t making any progress.

Every morning when the sun rises, we have choices to make. These may not be life determining choices. Should I wear red or blue? Should I bring my science binder to school? Or they may be crucial to the success of doing something good for the world, today. Am I going to smile at my foe? Am I going to kind to the homeless people I see on the road? Am I going to let any contagious, negative attitude inflict upon others? Well, I suppose these are all some decisions we’ve got to make as humans everyday.

Last week, I walked to one of my favorite bakeries. It’s small, cozy, homey, and it’s merely over 1 miles distance from my house. Every time I visit this bakery, the same petite, blue-eyed, blonde ladies serves me. She grabs the cookies I want. She puts the frosting I like on my cupcakes. Yet last week, I noticed one thing different about her: she put her hair in two ponytails, instead of in a tight bun on her head. It looked almost more cheerful and youthful. I wanted to comment on it, but somehow, and for a reason I still cannot comprehend, my tongue tied up and no words would come out. And that’s a wrong decision I made that day, not to compliment a person and to show genuine appreciation. But that’s a decision I could have made, to compliment at least three people I saw everyday.

Every morning when the sun rises, we are given second chances to rectify those we’d done wrong before. We shouldn’t hesitate. We shouldn’t hold back. Push our true selves into what we correct and purposefully remember to thank whoever presented that second chance. Sometimes, we’re timid. Other times we’re shy. Sometimes, we don’t want to share. Other times we don’t want to admit our wrongs. But I insist we do, because problems can only precede to a brighter side of the grass as a result.

Last year, I remember working with another group of students on a project in history. It was challenging for sure, and frustrating for all sides of the group. I remember we were discussing one of our topics we were researching in order to prepare for a presentation. One of my groupmates decided to slack off on memorizing facts, just because he didn’t want to have to present in front of the class the following week. It’s a seemingly simple refusion, yet somehow the stress of the project, the pressure of time and the difficulty of managing it all together threw me off. I began to show anger and temper towards that student. When I returned that night to my desk, I realized one thing: that kid wasn’t going to get up off the couch and memorize the facts, especially when I’d just been angry at him. So the following day, during one of our last few class periods to work together, I apologized. I told how I knew I shouldn’t have yelled at him. I told him that I know the project is hard, but we have to work together to make it a successful presentation. I told him this, and he accepted it. In fact, he did more than accept my words. He memorized the facts on the notecards.  

I feel fortunate to know that someone had even considered my words after I’d been angry the previous day. But the only way I was able to send my message to him, was to show genuine appreciation for the second chance I was given to rectify my mistakes.

Every morning when the sun rises, what are you given?