There was a television series in 2002 that we both loved every episode. It starred Richard Dreyfuss and was called The Education of Max Bickford. We loved the superb acting by the whole cast, especially that of Dreyfuss and Marcia Gay Harden. The setting and plotting were attractive. It was a quality show for adults so naturally they had to cancel it after one season.
[www.tv.com]
Dreyfuss' character, Max Bickford, was a sober alcoholic and something he said about his daily struggle to say no to alcohol made such an impression on me that I wrote it down in my journal. He said:
"Show up for work each day sober,
with sleeves rolled up
and with all the hope of a child."
[from the March 10, 2002 episode]
Isn't that a good goal, whatever battles we face? "Just show up for work sober, with sleeves rolled up and with all the hope of a child." And if we blow it, here are more wise words from a favorite book of mine, Song of Years by Bess Streeter Aldrich, about the settling of eastern Iowa. Each night before Jeremiah goes to bed he winds their large clock and says:
"Days over. Fresh start tomorrow!"
For many years "Day's Over" was the title of my journal, a reminder to me that the next morning would be a fresh start. While this post sounds as if I were a closet alcoholic, my besetting sin in those days was found in the freezer--and it wasn't vodka. Chocolate Ice Cream was its name, although its Cousin Cheetos lurked in the pantry, usually not for long. And Uncle Pepperoni Pizza dropped by every Friday night.
Nowadays my "Day's Over - Fresh Start Tomorrow" is focused more on my ever looming larger To Do List, the daily one that rarely has checkmarks by everything at the end of the day…the chapter that didn't get written, the cupboards that did not get cleaned out…
But that's okay, I tell myself with all the hope of a child.
"Day's Over. Fresh start tomorrow."
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