Let the hard days be hard...

I am big on giving grace, releasing hurt, seeing the good, being the bigger person, letting things go, not dwelling on the past, etc.

BUT….some days are hard. Some days people and things are exhausting. Some days literally drain every ounce of kindness and grace we have. Some days the past hurt is too much. Some days being the bigger person gets us run over. Some days people are just jerks. Some days you just want to throat punch somebody. Like I said…Some days are just hard.

I feel like I’m not allowed to have hard days though, so I continue to do all the hard things. Pretty sure a lot of us are that way.

A few days ago, I was having a conversation with one of the most genuine and amazing souls. The conversation began in a humorous manner and is still quite funny; however, she made a statement to me in all seriousness.

After watching me for the last 8 or 9 years, she knows I have always worn a smile no matter what I was dealing with. She knows I will always accept responsibility and be the bigger person. She knows I have always found and given grace even when it wasn’t warranted. And after watching me all this time, she made this statement…”Let the hard days be hard.”

That in itself is hard for me to grasp, but the words have lingered in my heart since she spoke them.

And she is 100% right. Let the hard days be hard. Don’t cover it up. Don’t sugar coat it. Don’t ignore it. Let them be hard.

It’s ok to have hard days.

It’s ok to have hard feelings.

It’s ok to not always be the bigger person.

It’s ok to feel like things are a little (or a lot) out of control.

It’s ok to mess up.

It’s ok to be mad.

It’s ok to have hard moments with people.

Fill in the blank with the innumerable other hard things that come along on hard days.

Guys, 49 out of 50 days, life is good. So go ahead and give that grace to others. Live those amazing days. But that one day…that one hard day…let it be hard.

You’re not weak or mean or cold hearted or terrible or whatever other emotions you’re feeling. You’re human!! You’re going to have hard days. Just like any other day…own it! Own the hard days. Cry, sleep, vent, scream, go for a drive, sit on the porch and be still, eat a carton of Blue Bell Cookie Dough ice cream, do what you need to do on that hard day!!

Tomorrow you can go back to normal and smile. But for today, give yourself grace and let the hard day be hard.