To most this is just another day. They will go to school, to work. Come home not thinking of anything. But to me, January 28 has always been and will forever now be one of those days that aren’t just another day to me. And not just for one reason, but for three, though I fully admit one is quite absurd and silly of me. But this will be addressed.
You see today marks what I refer to as the Challenger day. The day I watched at the time a bright eyed kindergartener who dreamt of being an astronaut as the beloved space shuttle blew up in to outer space, disappearing before my eyes. It stunned the world, broke my heart and forever changed my dream. It still remains one of the most vivid recollections of my childhood. Ever since I have quietly marked the passing of years on this day in my own silent way, remembering it all to well as if it was not 28 years ago but rather yesterday.
In high school, the date helped me with my history classes. But then something else came to mark the day. For anyone who knows me knows this. I am a walking calendar, especially birthdays. You tell it to me once and for some reason I will never forget it. It doesn’t matter if I knew you in elementary school and haven’t talked to you in years. I still remember it. So when my favorite boy band member announced his birthday was on January 28th, well I stashed it away, and my fifteen year old self still wishes him a very happy birthday. So what if he has no clue that I am.
It just made the day that much more important to me.
When my husband and I found out we were expecting with an early February due date I truly thought, you watch this I am going to deliver on the 28th of January. The date just seems to stick. I didn’t. He came five days later. And I will be honest when I say, I kind of took one giant sigh I didn’t go into labor on the 28th.
But now this day, well it marks something much more personal than a shuttle, or a crush’s birthday. Because this is the day three years ago now when I went to work not having a clue that by the end of the day I would be rushed to the ER, undergoing the first of three emergency operations on my colon and coming out to tell about it. It is not always something that is easy to talk about and something that I wish I wouldn’t have to celebrate or remember on this day. But for reasons unknown it is and forever be marked year by year.
I am sure we all have days like this, ones that may mean nothing to the rest of us, but the world to us. January 28th, just happens to be mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment