If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know that something as simple as a song can be the final act in the word plays going on in my head. Tonight is no different.

It’s dead center of the 5 weeks I lose my daughter to her beloved summer camp. And it had been a long week without my son before we enter a good 2 week stretch together. With no kids, no tax returns, nothing on my calendar except a couple of workouts, my brain can shift into overdrive on the roads filled with reflection, worry, regret, and a whole host of unproductive pursuits.

I pushed through some of that dead time with attempting to finish some half-read books. I rekindled a couple of long-lost friendships. I worked on making a couple of new friends. I spent some time on the business plans for the coming year. And still, I found myself with a little too much time to think.

And that’s when the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Better Days” came over my YouTube feed.

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days.

‘Cause I don’t need boxes wrapped in strings,
In designer love and empty things…
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days.

There it was. I’m already…or WE ARE ALL already past the halfway point of a lightning-fast 2014 and I feel no further along on my goals for the year than when I set them in December. In retrospect, I know I’m a little harsh on myself. Great things filled my early months this year…but with great things, often, come added stressors. And while I thought I was ready for the reaping, I found I was ill-prepared for some of the challenges thrown in along the way. And those results tend to be that mid-term report card I wished had some better marks on it.

Funny thing is…it’s not about any one facet of life. I’m sure this doesn’t apply only to me. But whether it’s career aspirations, financial goals, parenting, friendships, the love-life (or the lack of one…ha!), or any other roles I find myself playing, the report card shows similar marks.

It’s funny really…this is nothing new. In grade school, they had these 4 boxes on all your subjects: “Strong, Satisfactory, Needs Improvement, or Unsatisfactory”. I could rack up the Strongs on the top half of the report card. But the bottom half was always about conduct. And my happy face would turn to sad when I’d see that “Needs Improvement” box checked…often with the comment “talks too much”. (I know…I can’t figure that one out either). I switched schools in 6th grade – went to a school across town. I’m thinking, “yes…fresh start…new faces…they probably don’t even have the same report cards.” The first six weeks ended and there it was again, “Needs Improvement – talks too much.” 20 licks later (and yes, brother and sister…Dad DID give ME licks too!) you’d think I’d learn. But another six weeks went by and there it was again.

In these downtimes when I don’t have much going on, it’s like looking at those report cards and realizing that, while I’ve racked up some good marks, I’ve still got that one glaring thing holding me back. And what I want…

A chance that maybe I’ll find better days.

Oh these days aren’t bad. I’m blessed beyond measure. Sure, life threw a couple of curves I never saw coming. But I have no regrets…I just wish I could find a way to yank my butt out of the rut and avoid these same old report cards.

The lyrics continue into this chorus:

So take these words and sing out loud
‘Cause everyone is forgiven now
‘Cause tonight’s the night the world begins again

There’s the truth I was looking for. Everyone’s forgiven now. Tonight…right now…whether you’re reading this in the morning, at noon, or night…RIGHT NOW it begins again. Rut eliminated. Potholes filled. Stop looking back, just press on and know that the road in front of you is all you’ve got left. Yesterdays make for funny stories told over a drink with a beloved person or group of folks, but those yesterdays don’t have a permanent bridle on your direction for the road ahead.

Do you want your better days? Are you concerned all your better days are already behind you? I’ll offer my opinion using an old golf analogy…”100% of the putts hit short never go in the hole.” That’s one of the key truths of golf. Think about it real close. You go from point A to point B and your only concern is burying this little rock-of-a-ball into the bottom of a 3” cup some distance away from point A. And…if the ball stops short of the hole, can it possibly go in? Earthquakes notwithstanding, it ain’t gonna happen. The same holds true in life…if your “better days” are the point B that you’re pushing for, then keep pushing. Take a break when you need to, sure…recharge your batteries now and then…got it…but never let life’s challenges make you think you’ve lost your chance for better days.

Below is the link for the Goo Goo Dolls’ official video of “Better Days”. I challenge you to start your day off with this one for a week. Just a week. Watch it at least once…but listen to the words before you set out on your days’ tasks. What does it feel like to know that today’s the day your world begins again?

It really can be that simple.

Try it…I dare ya.  (By the way, when you click play, it’s restricted by Warner Bros to run on blog sites…just click the “Watch on YouTube” that pops up and you’ll be redirected)

And by the way, in the rest of the lyrics, I found a couple of other jewels…if you watch the video, see if you see the flash of words like “trust”, “hope”, “faith”, and “love”:

I need someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And that’s faith and trust and peace while we’re alive

And the one poor child who saved this world
And there’s 10 million more that probably could
If we’d all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words and sing out loud
‘Cause everyone is forgiven now
‘Cause tonight’s the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days.

So take these words and sing out loud
‘Cause everyone is forgiven now
‘Cause tonight’s the night the world begins again

‘Cause tonight’s the night the world begins again

Here’s to better days…for you, for me…for all of us!

Peace
Tim