The best day of your life

I listened to an audiobook called “I See You Called in Dead” recently. It’s about an obituary writer who gets drunk one night, writes his own obituary, and publishes it. The results of being “dead” shake up his life; it’s a really good book!

In one scene, the main character is walking through a cemetery and stops at a random grave. He asks the deceased, “What was the best day of your life?”

That was one of those moments where I probably didn’t get much out of the next few minutes of the audiobook as my mind raced to answer that question for myself.

There are the obvious answers: the day I got married, the days my kids were born, etc. And those days just multiply: important church events for the kids alongside their high school graduations. How about my own high school and college graduations? Or the first day I met Michelle?

The best day of your life can have a lot of definitions. Many people would answer with a big event like some I listed above. And I foresee more of those days coming: Jayna graduates from Winona State soon and hopefully finds a job and maybe, just maybe, might get engaged. Anton will graduate from MSU-Mankato in a couple of years and might follow that same path. And on and on.

But what about the little things that create great days? Both kids were home at Christmas, and we had a game night. All four of us had so much fun. We played a few games that involved competitiveness, twists, and hilarity. At times, we were all laughing so hard we were crying. That was a best day.

Yes, I’m cheating. I have a lot of best days. And yes, I know that the word best means the very tip-top. But a lot of people cheat on this. How many best friends do you have? For many people, it’s more than one, so I’m using that same rationale here.

The summer league game against JWP in Ellendale where Anton made some good defensive plays and then scored the game-winning run on a passed ball, his dad running down the baseline with him. That was a best day.

The JV basketball game where Jayna hit the game-winning shot on the road against TCU and then helped the defense make a stop to seal the victory. That was a best day.

The first time Michelle and I went to see our favorite humorist, David Sedaris, live in Minneapolis. It was everything we hoped and more, leading to a nearly-annual visit to watch him perform. That was a best day.

Putting up the big wooden playset in the backyard for the kids and then watching them play for hours. That was a best day.

Going with my dad last year to a series of appointments and tests at the clinic in New Ulm to help him figure out some medical issues. That might not seem like a best day, but the quality time I spent with Dad is time I’ll never count as wasted. That was a best day.

The day I got to see the original Star Wars movie re-released in theaters, one I had been too young to see in 1977 when it first came out. Seeing it on the big screen took my breath away. That was a best day.

Having both kids with me to see Avengers: Endgame, the finale of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s massive storyline and knowing they groaned and shook their heads when their dad shouted, “Yes!” at the point Captain America yelled, “Avengers Assemble!” but understood why he did that. That was a best day.

Walking into Hobbiton in New Zealand with Michelle and seeing one of my favorite books come to life, which still brings a tear to my eye, just thinking about it. It was a dream come true. That was a best day.

Scoring the game-winning run in summer baseball at the age of 13 when I hit a bases-clearing triple and scampered home on a throwing error. As I sped home, the catcher tried to catch the ball and swipe-tag me, but he didn’t have the ball. He did, however, catch me across the face and briefly knocked me out as I fell on the plate. That was a best day.

Every rare occasion that all my sisters and I are home together. Dad always makes sure we get a picture when that happens. Those are best days.

Every time I get to watch a student figure out a path to success in my classroom. Every time I watch youth or high school sporting events and see great effort and improvement, win or not. Every time I see a music or theater production put on by people who care. Those are best days.

Every time a former student says thank you. Those are best days.

When Michelle and I are able to retire and not have to worry about our morning routine to get ready for work, that will be a best day.

And that, ultimately, is the point. The character in the book wondered what the deceased person’s best day was. That’s a question without a definitive answer.

In reality, the next day I get to live and do wonderful things, be it read a book or announce a game or teach kids how to use the Oxford comma, will be a best day. Enjoy your best days!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is uniquity, which means being the only one of its kind, as in, “His next best day had a taste of uniquity since he had never experienced it before.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!