The Most Depressing Day of the Year

Monday was kind of a lousy day around the office. I woke up with a headache that wouldn't go away, and I wasn't the only one - most everyone I talked to seemed to be suffering from a general achiness, dizziness, and just feeling out of sorts. Nothing particularly horrible happened, but the weight of everyday tasks was heavy on the shoulders of everyone around.

Then I heard something interesting.....a psychologist in Wales, Cliff Arnall, had apparently labeled Monday, January 22nd as "Blue Monday" - the most depressing day of the year. There are several factors in his calculation: lousy weather, holiday debt, failed new years' resolutions, etc. (You can hear more about it on NPR's website: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6939432&ft=1&f=1001)

I was struck by the truth of this calculation - not only because I'd experienced it myself, but because there seemed to be so much common sense behind it. How does anyone get through this time of year?

But then it occurred to me......someone, somewhere was having not just a good day, but the best day of their life. Maybe their first child was just born when they thought they couldn't conceive. Maybe they won the local lottery. Maybe they got engaged, or met their true love, or committed their life to Christ. Come to think of it, I would bet that within the vast population of the world, a LOT of people were probably having a wonderful day.

Arnall also mentioned in his interview that Friday, June 22nd is the happiest day of the year. This made perfect sense to me, especially because it's only two days after my birthday. Odds are good that I will have a great day! But again, there will probably be people who lose their job (it's a Friday, after all), discover a cheating spouse, figure out they don't have enough left in their checking account to buy groceries......any number of devastating events.

It's certainly interesting and possibly useful to know that there are external factors that can combine to wreak havoc on our spirit. But they're not necessarily tied to a date on the calendar. I love the lyrics of the Sunscreen Song (actually written by Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune):

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Or, to put it another way....

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own. -Matthew 6:34

Life is definitely full of trouble, but it is also filled with many wonderful things, too. Monday wasn't all bad this week - I had a great study with some ladies that evening about Anger, and got to visit with friends and snuggle up with my hubby that night. And you know what? On Tuesday morning, my headache was gone, and I got to experience the most wonderful sunrise.

So even if you really are in the midst of a dark time, the great news is that there is always something good coming around the corner - even if you have to wait until June 22nd to experience a brighter day.