Mama Had a Bad Day

I had a really awful day yesterday at the office. So I come home from work distressed and haggard ... My 2-year old daughter, Maia, sensing my sadness, asks me, "What's yong, Mama?" I reply in the cheeriest tone I could muster, "Oh, sweetheart, Mama just had a bad day at the office." She asks, her brow creased, looking worried, "Wha' happen?" I say, "Oh, Mama did this and this, and this and that happened, etc. etc." She asks again, really frowning this time, "A' you sad?" Not bothering anymore to hide my grief, I reply, "Yes, sweetheart, Mama's sad and worried because .... whine, whine, whine" I try my darnedest not to make her feel responsible for my sadness, "... Mama's work is so hard sometimes ..."

She looks at me, pouting, appears to think things through, and though she couldn't have possibly understood the complexity of the problem, she says to me, in the sweetest, most comforting, caring voice, "It's awright, Mama..." She then pats me on the shoulder very gently.

I almost cry, really, if not for her immediately breaking out in (Daniel Powter's now famous) song -- "You had a bad day, you had a bad day, and you tewn it ayound ..."

I very soon forgot the troubles of my day.