Day #2 (written on day 3, hehe)

Day #2

I did something today that I'm counting. I believe it fits my rule for NICE and contrary to my husband’s belief I think it’s in.

*If you don’t count it, I have a back up. Ha. (thanks Tami for reminding me)

So, my NICE task today is not something that can be seen or heard or touched for that matter. I am always looking for inspiration from the world around me and sometimes those come in the smallest ways. Yesterdays nice came out of a tune that I have heard a zillion times but apparently I heard a lyric that helped me.

Billy Joel’s Only The Good Die Young
Originally the part - “Id rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints” made me start to listen closer. I don’t want my kids to think that part is good. Because lets be honest it sure it easy to relate to that. It is so much harder to be a good person than to fancy yourself and do what you feel whenever. Okay- so that’s another topic for another time.

Here’s the part that got me- “ Aww she never cared for me---But did she ever say a prayer for me? oh woah woah”

Alright, so, the woah woahs aren’t necessary but that’s how I sing it to write it. Anyhow, goodness this got me. How unfair of me. It is so easy for me to well wish people that I like, to add them to my thoughts because I enjoy them and well lets face it, it’s way easier to have empathy and emotion for someone you like rather than dislike. The problem is the person/people that we Don’t like probably needs our thoughts/prays the most. Think about it, picture the guy/gal you can’t stand the most. You don’t like them and it’s because of their actions or how they live their life and we try to keep ourselves distant from this person and not deal with them. Well, I guess the lyric hit me because if I care a little bit more about that person or even said a prayer for them maybe they could be different, could be helped. I think it’s unfair for me to not like someone and not ever feel for them.

So, my NICE yesterday was 2 parts. 1. I said a little prayer for 2 people that I can’t stand, that drive me nuts because they do everything so wrong (my opinion obviously) but I do wish they could get it together, be a better person, deal with shit in a better fashion, and overall better their lives. Maybe me putting my small prayer out there(and it was nothing fancy…just thinking about them and hoping for better for them in my own mind as I drove to walmart) could help in some small way. I also took this a step farther. Part 2. I thought good and hard and said something Good about both of these people. Right outloud. Ahh. Believe me this is not as simple as you might think, I’ve known these people for so long and have an accumulating pile of what I think is not good about them. So, I rummaged through my mental file cabinet and pulled out an old cocktail napkin with a gross soda ring on it that has a smudged out pencil note that says a nice thing about these 2 people. It was a reach, but I found it. I’ve got something decent to say about each of them and I’m hanging onto that and adding them to my thought list. *hmm- maybe I’ll send them a card? Ha. What will that say? I’m pretty sure halmark doesn’t make a card that reads- I NORMALLY THINK YOU’RE A LOSER…open it and see… BUT I FOUND ONE THING THAT’S GOOD ABOUT YOU! Added you to my thoughts. xoxo, Mary Gabriel. Hahaha. That’s nuts.

Okay- if you don’t count that (like Kevin doesn’t) I picked Megan up from school yesterday. Her mom couldn’t leave work and her grandma, who was going to pick her up had a flat tire. So, I ran over to the high school and took her and a friend of hers home so they didn’t have to walk in the cold or take the scary public bus. That’s gotta count.