The Best Day

My sister is of a sanguine temperament, meaning that like the blood in our veins, life is always being renewed before her eyes. She can frequently be heard to say that she is having the best day of her life. This doesn't mean that it is actually better than yesterday, but that she is so present in the joy of the moment that other days have ceased to exist. I admire this in her and find that it is a contagious way of being; her best days often turn into my best days too!
Today I had a best day all by myself. I was not alone, but instead of soaking up someone else's, I was the source of my own enthusiasm.
I woke up before my alarm, but lounged in bed past the time that it told me I should get up. I was leisurely with my preparation for the day, and could have panicked when I got into the car 20 minutes after I was supposed to be at the May Fair at school, but I didn't. When I pulled into the drive, the maypole was not even up yet and I realized it started at 11, not 10! At this point I could have lent a hand to set up, but I opted to drive up the road to InFusion for a decadent, large iced mocha! I arrived back at school just as families were lugging their picnic blankets to the field. In years past, I had been frantically making scores of sandwiches or rounding up musicians or leading group singing, but this year I was responsible for nothing...and it felt great! I joined my students in playing the recorder for the maypole dancing and then I actually got to dance, a new feature of the celebration! I had a delicious sandwich that someone else had made, and soaked up sun. When adult conversation fizzled, I joined the 6th and 7th grade girls playing baby-in-the-air, do you remember that game?
Around 2:00 it started to rain and I headed back downtown. I called Shay and suggested we meet for an old-fashioned soda at the Franklin Fountain in old city. I had a rose soda with vanilla ice cream!
Then I announced that I was going to South St. for a famous $10 haircut from the Chop Shop. I only really decided at that moment that I would do it. I asked the hairdresser for a wedged bob. As I sat in the chair and watched her take the buzzer to my shoulder-length hair, an ancient desperation welled up in me. "It's going! They're taking it! You can't spare it! It's yours!" it shrieked. I quieted the wailing by repeating to myself that hair grows and no haircut is forever. It felt like I lost 500 lbs. in the 1/2 hour that I sat in that chair. It was not only the weight of thick hair, but the need to hold everything so close.
On my way back to the car I stopped in at Pearl and bought a tube each of ultramarine blue and lemon yellow oil paint.
Once home I took a short nap and then went to meet some of my student/fans at Comedy Sportz, an interactive improvisational comedy show. It was very entertaining and I just love to enjoy non-school things with these kids, they are such lovely people, especially when they are not behind desks.
The night was young when they went home to bed, so I called Shay whom I thought was salsa dancing nearby, but she was going to the movies with her very funny friend Nadiv and I shot across town to join them.
I end my day pleasantly tired and lightly sunburnt. Even the chilly wind that was beginning to blow as I walked from my car does not dampen the glow of my best day.