There is something about having a special day on the calendar that makes ordinary life a little more exciting.
I love a good countdown. Give me a date to circle, something to look forward to, and a reason to say, “Just a little longer!” and I’m a happy girl. It might be a holiday, a birthday, a planned getaway, or even a quiet day at home when I can drink my tea, read a good book, and pretend my to-do list doesn’t exist for a little while.
There’s just something comforting about knowing that something good is coming.
As much as I love the big occasions, though, I’ve realized that the things I’m looking forward to aren’t always the ones that make it onto a traditional calendar. Some of the most meaningful days are the ones that might look ordinary to everyone else but mean the world to me.
And those are worth counting down to, too.
A Calendar Full of Little Joys
I have always enjoyed looking ahead to special occasions. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and all the little traditions that come with them give the year a rhythm I love.
There’s the anticipation of decorating for a new season, choosing something cozy to read, planning a favorite meal, or deciding which warm drink belongs beside me while I settle in with a book. Autumn brings its crisp air and spooky reading. Thanksgiving brings familiar foods and time to reflect on what matters. Christmas brings its own kind of magic, even when life is busy and the preparations don’t go quite as planned.
And birthdays? Well, I think there’s something lovely about having a day that gives you permission to celebrate simply because you are here.
I also look forward to the less traditional occasions: a staycation, a visit with family, a change of scenery, or a day when I can finally slow down and enjoy being home.
None of these things has to be extravagant. Sometimes the best plans are the simplest ones.
A favorite book. A mug of tea. A quiet afternoon. A date on the calendar that reminds me something good is waiting just around the corner.
Not Every Special Day Comes With a Holiday Decoration
The older I get, the more I realize that some of the most important dates on my calendar have nothing to do with holidays.
One of the things I look forward to most is the next time I get to hug my granddaughter.
There is no elaborate celebration required for that. No special menu, no decorations, no carefully planned itinerary. Just the opportunity to wrap my arms around her and enjoy the kind of moment you wish you could stretch out a little longer.
If you’re a grandparent, you probably understand. There is something about being able to love a grandchild that makes even an ordinary visit feel extraordinary. A hug can become the best part of your entire week, and suddenly the countdown to the next visit matters very much.
And now, there is another little girl to look forward to meeting.
My new granddaughter is expected to arrive on her due date, and I find myself thinking about that day with a mixture of excitement, wonder, and the realization that our family is about to grow in the sweetest way.
Of course, babies have their own schedules. They don’t consult the calendar or care one bit about our plans. She will arrive when she is ready, and until then, I get to enjoy the anticipation of knowing that another little person is on her way into our lives.
That is a pretty wonderful thing to count down to.
Sometimes the dates we anticipate most aren’t about what we will do. They’re about who we will get to love, hold, see, or celebrate.
There Are Some Days We Celebrate Differently
Not every meaningful day is filled with the kind of happiness that comes easily.
Some dates carry a mixture of love and longing. They remind us of people we miss, moments we wish we could repeat, and the empty spaces left behind when someone we love is no longer here with us.
I’ve learned that it’s possible to miss someone deeply and still find reasons to celebrate.
I think about my mom and the day she went to Heaven. I miss her, and there are moments when I wish I could call her, tell her something that happened, or hear her voice again. There is a very real ache in loving someone you can no longer hug here on earth.
But I also believe that my mom is in Heaven, completely healed and free from the worries, struggles, and pain of this life. I picture her dancing before Jesus, whole and joyful, with none of the burdens she carried here.
And you know what? I want to celebrate that.
Not because I don’t miss her. Not because losing her doesn’t hurt. But because my sadness is not the only part of this story.
My faith gives me a reason to look beyond the goodbye. I can grieve the fact that she’s no longer here with me while finding comfort in the hope that she is with the Lord, healed and at peace.
There is room for both things to be true.
So yes, I celebrate my mom being in Heaven. I celebrate her healing. I celebrate the freedom from earthly worries that I believe she now knows. And when I think of her dancing before Jesus, I can’t help but smile through the tears.
That may not be the sort of anniversary everyone thinks to put on a calendar, but it matters to me.
Some days deserve to be remembered not only for what we lost, but also for the hope we carry forward.
The Beauty of Having Something to Look Forward To
Life doesn’t always cooperate with our plans.
The workday can be long. The laundry can multiply when we’re not looking. The errands that were supposed to take twenty minutes somehow consume half the afternoon. Sometimes the weather refuses to cooperate, the house needs attention, and the book we were excited to read has been sitting on the nightstand for three weeks.
Life is life.
And while we can’t schedule every wonderful moment, I think there is something genuinely helpful about giving ourselves little things to anticipate.
A visit with family can make a busy week feel more manageable. Looking forward to a holiday can make an ordinary Tuesday feel like part of something bigger. Planning a quiet afternoon with a book and a warm drink can give us permission to protect a little time for ourselves.
Even the act of counting down can be fun.
How many days until Halloween? How long until Thanksgiving? When do I get to see my granddaughter again? How much longer until we welcome our newest little blessing?
Suddenly, the calendar becomes more than a collection of appointments and obligations. It becomes a reminder that life holds good things, too.
And sometimes, when life feels particularly heavy, that reminder is exactly what we need.
Making Ordinary Days Feel a Little More Special
Of course, I don’t want to spend so much time looking forward to the next thing that I forget to enjoy the day I’m living right now.
That is the tricky part, isn’t it?
It’s easy to think happiness is waiting somewhere in the future. I’ll relax when this project is finished. I’ll enjoy myself when the house is in order. I’ll take time to read when everything else is done.
But there will always be something else to do. There will always be another email, another chore, another little responsibility tapping me on the shoulder.
If I wait until everything is finished before I enjoy my life, I may be waiting a very long time.
So I’m trying to appreciate the days in between the special ones.
I can make a cup of tea and enjoy it while it’s still warm. I can read a few chapters without turning the experience into another item on my productivity list. I can work on a handmade project, watch the leaves change, or spend a quiet evening at home without feeling that I should be doing something more important.
I can enjoy the anticipation of Christmas while still appreciating October. I can look forward to seeing my family while being grateful for the ordinary routines that fill my days now.
And I can count down to something wonderful without treating the days before it as merely something to get through.
There is joy in the waiting, too.
Sometimes it is found in making plans. Sometimes it is found in remembering. And sometimes it is found in the simple realization that today, right here in the middle of an ordinary week, there are still things worth being thankful for.
A Little Reminder to Look Ahead With Hope
I think we all need something to look forward to.
It doesn’t have to be a vacation, a major accomplishment, or an occasion that requires buying a new outfit. It can be a birthday, a holiday, a family visit, the arrival of a new baby, or the next chance to hug someone you love.
It can also be a day that holds a different kind of meaning: a day to remember someone who has gone ahead of us, to honor a life that shaped ours, or to celebrate the hope that makes grief a little easier to carry.
Our countdowns won’t all look alike. Some will be full of laughter and excitement. Others will bring a few tears along with the smiles. Some will involve a house full of people, while others might mean nothing more than a favorite book, a quiet room, and a steaming cup of tea.
But each one gives us a reason to pause and remember that life is made up of more than the things we have to do.
There are people to love. Memories to make. Traditions to enjoy. New beginnings to welcome. And little moments of peace waiting to be noticed.
So, yes, I will keep counting down.
I’ll count down to the holidays, the birthdays, the family visits, and the day I get to hold my newest granddaughter. I’ll make room for the memories that make me smile and the faith that comforts me when I miss my mom. And I’ll keep looking for the small joys that make an ordinary day feel a little warmer.
Because sometimes, the best thing on the calendar isn’t a big event at all.
Sometimes, it’s simply a reminder that there is still something beautiful ahead.
And in the meantime, I’ll put the kettle on, find my book, and enjoy the day I’m in.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Cozy
I’m curious: What are you counting down to right now?
Is it a holiday, a birthday, a trip, a family visit, or a special moment that might not mean much to anyone else but means everything to you?
Maybe you’re waiting to welcome a new baby, looking forward to seeing someone you love, or anticipating a quiet day when you can finally slow down.
I’d love to hear about the little things that are bringing you joy and giving you something to look forward to. Share yours in the comments. Sometimes hearing what someone else is anticipating is a lovely reminder to notice the good things in our own lives, too.
