There are days when everyone and everything grates, when the driver of the Qashqai in front of you hogs the right hand lane while maintaining an infuriating speed precisely 3 km/h below the limit; when the frosty receptionist at the medical centre tells you with no small amount of glee that there are absolutely no free appointments for the next 3 months; when that obsequious co-worker who thinks she’s so much more important than you takes great delight in highlighting her own wonderfulness and your shortcomings; when the tradesman who promised you faithfully your job would be completed by the weekend decides to ‘duck’ down south for a few days.
And then there are days like these.
On days like these all the lights are green and the traffic merges seamlessly at each intersection. On days like these, nothing is too much trouble for anyone and everyone smiles. On days like these, a new supermarket checkout opens up just as I arrive with my overflowing trolley.
On days like these my keys are always where I think I’ve left them and that child who never usually shows any interest in anything to do with language learning, suddenly develops some curiosity about cultures and languages other than his own.
On days like these the sun shines brightly but not too fiercely and the ocean is clear and blue and calm. On days like these I catch my breath as I watch the evening light cast a spell across the sand dunes. On days like these I fall asleep to the sound of the waves lapping on the shore and dream of angels dancing in moonbeams. On days like these I give thanks for the gift of life.
