Gratitude, Compliments and Warm Fuzzies...oh my!

Wow, what a turn of events today! I started my day by opening up my email inbox and had two nice compliments from my co-workers that touched on the amount of work I have been investing in things recently and how it shows in my accomplishments. Followed by that I had an email of gratitude from a current student thanking me for my letter of recommendation which helped in securing her a spot in a select group. A few hours later I received another "warm fuzzy" from another student showing appreciation for my help in assisting him in his efforts to join that same select group of which he also had a spot in. I was able to confirm taking off next Friday, and then I had a nice impromptu conversation at lunch that was extremely validating and let me voice a lot of feelings from within. After that, I left my office to teach class and then returned to a card on my office chair....another thank you note from a student for a letter of recommendation. I had a pretty productive and calm afternoon and then we had a second night of a fantastic turn out for the professional fraternity's recruitment event! What a nice day for a change!

What a difference it made in my day to receive those tokens of appreciation and validation! After the first two, I wanted to save the others and wished they had come on a different day so I could have good things spread out over time and on days when nothing goes right rather than all good in a day. I had been praying for a good surprise, renewal and encouragement since all my life had been for the longest time was negative. I finally felt like my prayers were being answered today, and that feeling inspired my "pic of the day" which is from the Cathedral Notre Dame in Paris, France from our vacation in Jan. '06. Above is a pic of me (obviously not taken by me) lighting a candle inside the cathedral where passersby were encouraged to light a candle and say a prayer, and below is a pic (that I took) of where all those candles burned underneath a beautiful stained glass window inside the cathedral.

Today made me wonder why life has been so terrible for so long, or why some days have to seem like a never ending fight and how I could have this one good day that came so easy....and will it last, will I have more? My life has been down for so long that the least little things make such a huge difference. I know I've heard others talk about small little things that make their days fun and enjoyable and they just take them for granted and I have longed for something like that to be a part of my life. It makes me realize how long I've gone without enjoyment and without the smallest of pleasures that others take for granted. I do hope this warm fuzzy feeling will last.