Remedy For A Bad Day

By: Cynthia Cavendish-Carey

There are days in our lives when we feel like that little black cloud is hanging over our heads and just won’t dissipate no matter what we do. Girls, this is what we call a bad day.

There are degrees of bad days, of course, and it’s important to put this distinction into perspective so that we can respond appropriately. A flat tire, for instance, is a relatively minor annoyance. On the other hand, losing someone you love is the most tragic of bad days.

This past year has brought many opportunities for spiritual growth. Most unfortunately for me and my family, losing someone we love dearly, losing her tragically and at such a young age was the worst possible day of all. That day absolutely slammed life events into their proper perspective. Perhaps it’s quite poignant that the same person my family lost had a message for us exactly one week before she died and that message has helped me get through lesser bad days by comparison. So, I am taking this opportunity to pass this delightful wisdom on to you.

To celebrate our 19th anniversary, my husband and I took our son and his fiance to dinner at Monterey Bay. Lovely view, great food and fun conversation with the family that we were becoming. After a leisurely dinner (and dessert), we spent the rest of the evening having lots of laughs, trolling through hilarious YouTube videos. Little Drummer Boys, Unicorn Girl and homemade videos of bad singing provided chuckles and grins for hours. The last search we did on that site was her idea. She said that “if you’re ever having a bad day, go to YouTube and do a random search for ‘baby giggles.’ It’s the remedy for any troubles in your life.”

Exactly one week later, I remembered this moment at her funeral. This moment with Ashley will stay with me for the rest of my life. She was right. Baby giggles are indeed the cure for whatever upsets are going on in your life. Since that day, I have invoked the baby-giggles cure. It’s amazing how well it works, including the power it has to conjure her and her wisdom.

There are other cures that work well, too: taking the dog for a walk, closing your eyes and looking up at the sunshine as it rains down upon you, meditating in a tub full of bubbles, or sitting quietly in a wooded park. Each of us have remedies that can work to restore our sense of balance and hope to our lives. Sometimes, singing Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” can take the edge off. Or, driving in the car and singing The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” reminds me that the sun will rise tomorrow. General Colin Powell said in his biography that no matter how bad things look today, they never look quite so bad in the morning. Life goes on. It’s cyclical: the good and the bad ebbs and flows like the tides of the ocean. Hard to remember when you’re in the midst of that trouble, but true nonetheless.

My tribute to Ashley is living the best life I possibly can, every day. In her very short 25 years, she was a joyful spirit who loved life (and my son). I hope that her words of wisdom can help you get through any troubling day you might have. My wish for you is … may the music of baby giggles restore you and remind you of the hope, love and laughter that is your birthright in this life.

Cynthia Cavendish-Carey is a business and marketing consultant. She is working on her first novel, “Kachina and the Butterfly Maiden,” which is a young girl’s journey to find her own divine feminine.