The Sun WILL Come out Tomorrow!

This is the smiling face of LT, the son of a colleague and friend from Jordan. LT is celebrating his 8th birthday surrounded by cards and gifts. LT is also dealing with Burkett's Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer. He's in a hospital in Germany (along with his parents) dealing with his 3rd round of chemotherapy.
Whenever I think that I'm overworked or underappeciated or challenged, I pause and breathe and think about LT and his dad TT who is one of the hardest working people I know. He's trying to do the equivalent of my job at his school, while worrying about his son and flying back and forth between Jordan and Germany to be a dad.
I think about the people of Japan-or Libya-or Eqypt-or people back in PR that are hurting (thinking of you Longfors family) and I realize that I am blessed (and so what's wrong with being a little overworked, at least I've got a job that I enjoy right?!)
We're working on the play ANNIE right now and the Theme of this play is OPTIMISM in the face of extreme hardship. It's set in the 1930s when things weren't so very easy. My parents were married in 1937 and they lived in a house with my grandparents, my aunt and uncle and two kids because that's what they all could afford at the time. I'm living in a rent-free, utilities -paid apartment located within five minute walk from my job. I really have to remember to reframe my negativity.
This morning my friend ME (who is featured through her fab photos occassionally in this blog)
walked into my office with a beautiful salad for my lunch today. She thought that maybe I would need some healthy food (What? Pizzas and soda pop aren't healthy?) It was such a sincere and welcome offer that I just teared up while thanking her.
One of the songs in ANNIE ends with the line:
Smile, darn ya Smile!
For LT, for Japan, for myself
I'll keep reminding myself to SMILE...