I purposely didn’t write about 9/11 yesterday. Not that I didn’t want to honor the monumental event that occured seven years ago and to pay respect to the lives lost and the families affected but I wanted to avoid contributing to the negative energy that would inevitably be evoked by remembering. Like most of you, I remember exactly what I was doing that morning. It was three weeks before my wedding day.

Despite my efforts to stay positive, my day yesterday got off to a rocky start. Could the universal energy pool be off this morning? Is everyone’s energy is so negatively charged due to their memories of 9/11? I wonder…

In addition to the World Trade Center anniversary, my father was having some major surgery and I was distracted and worried about the outcome (All considered, he’s fine, thanks for asking but do keep him in your thoughts for the next few days please).

Uncharacteristically for me though, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and had a rough time shaking it. Remember, I’m on vacation, in a beautiful spot so this is pretty unlikely. My day progressed and I implemented things that usually help me jumpstart myself and get me out of a negative funk. I talked with friends and family, did a few things to create some order around my environment, exercised, got outside and experienced nature, etc. Nothing was really helping. Later in the afternoon, i got a massage from a skillful and super positive therapist. Her energy was contagious and my spirits started to turn a bit. I walked the three miles back to my lakehouse passing at least ten deer along the way. This too helped. I was definitely turning the corner.

When I arrived back at the lakehouse, I sat on the dock for a few hours with my daughter while she sang songs for me and danced around. The sun was setting and the temperature was perfect. Two loons also sang their songs off in the distance. Loons are amazing birds. We don’t have them where I live in Southern California and I’m always in awe of them when I visit their regions.

We had all survived 9/11 despite the negative energy of the day. Dusk was reminding us that tomorrow would be better and I was so thankful for the message.

But, let me say I could have chosen to take another message from the great evening. Earlier in the day, I had returned my rented ski boat. Looking out from the dock, the lake water was like glass. The absolute best ski conditions I had seen since I arrived on this lake but I had no boat. To a waterskier, this can be pure torture. I knew that if I still had my boat, I could be getting in the best ski runs of the year. This could have been the opportunity for me to let my negative energy overtake me again and easily go back into that space. However, what can you do but live in the moment? I had made it through the day. My daughter was singing and asking me to film her, “Make another movie mommy” with my digital camera and I just had to laugh at the irony of it all. Glassy lake water and all. Life serves us lessons every day. What we learn is our choice. The lessons are within us. I chose to look at my kiddo and bask in how lucky I really am. The opportunity for skiing on perfect waters will undoubtedly surface again in my life. Conversely, the opportunity to film my daughter doing an almost perfect rendition of Mick Jagger singing, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at age 3 1/2 will not. My blessings are overwhelming if I really let myself think about them.

So, negative energy, thank you for serving me up a tortuous day, as I know I will be thankful and appreciative of the joy that comes tomorrow. I don’t allow myself to have a bad day very often but I’m admitting it here for one reason. I know some of you might have had one too. If you did, give yourself a break, tomorrow’s a new dawn, you’ll do better, just like I will.