An Extra Day

Who doesn't wish for more hours in a day?  I would guess Moms especially mutter this, as they juggle caring for their children, keeping up with the house, and especially for those with an added ball in the air who work outside the home.  Life is busy.  We all long for more time...an extra day.

But what would you do with that extra 24 hours?  How would it best be spent, if only it magically appeared?  Maybe it would be nice to have an extra day just for ourselves...to be pampered, to relax, to rejuvenate.  As someone who longs for energy most every day, I could certainly daydream of many me-centered activities.  Unless you've preplanned the upcoming extra day (aka Leap Day) though you may have few options to prepare something for yourself, like a day off.

So, how can you make the most of it?  As you might guess, this happy little blog would suggest something JOY-centered.  Perhaps you can make a donation to a charity, adopt a pet, invite someone to church, call a friend who's had a difficult time, the opportunites are endless!

For me, JOY often involves doing something for others.  Seeing someone smile, or making their day, returns to me tenfold.  And that's how I choose to spend my "extra day" this year.  It will be random, in the moment, acts of kindness.   But I'm opening myself up now to seek them out, to look a bit harder for them, and hopefully for a few needs to find me.

Our family has set aside time each year to remember our son, Austin, on his angelversary in this same way.  This past year we moved from one day to an entire month.  Those RAK days for him were amazing, and with each act, we could feel him shining down on us.  We know the world can use kindness each and every day though... maybe even a little more on an extra day.

At the end of this extra day, I plan to do something special for my family too (thinking cap on).  Because, in the end, we all wish for just a little more time with the ones we love.  Just one more day to say I love you.  I for one am pretty grateful at the thought of an "extra day" on the calendar with them this 2012.

What's on your schedule Wednesday?  Share your thoughts, ideas, and inspirations for how you plan to spend your extra day....

Also posted on Living Well Wednesday