Overabovers. (it's a word trust me)

We all “get” good things whether we deserve them or not. Every day. Some would call them blessings. I call them the “overabovers”. (I had an English teacher tell me, “if you can use it in a sentence and it makes sense IT’S a word. She wasn’t that bright, but this stuck with me.)

Overabovers? You wonder.

Yeah like over and above what I expected, deserved, did not deserve, did not expect. I got back more than I put in. I didn’t put in ANYTHING in and I got a lil something back.

Presents! Gifts! Blessings! Overabovers.

A long long time ago, in a far away village, I would sit and actually make a brain list of all the crap that went on during my day. It was a crummy list, with a crap title(Barbie’s List of Shit) and always after penning this list would be left with a stagnant taste in my mouth. I would go through this list. Over and over. Wow, did I ever deal with the crap today! This is a LONG list! How did I ever make it through! I would go so far as to boast about ALL the crap I was through in a day.(though I didn’t realize I was boasting)

Major stuff, menial stuff. But all crap stuff! I felt like I dealt with my bull, friends bull, family’s bull.

I would fall asleep with a crease in my forehead, angry, frustrated and at the same time kinda felt “tough”. Tough for ALL the crap I had to deal with in a day. I mean WHO else in this world dealt with THIS huge pile of brown dung? Yup that’s right sister! Sit down! I DID! Shwew, full day for me!

SO, rubbing the painful crease imbedded in my forehead, my prayer would be “Lord, please help me deal with all the crummy junk sent my way today...Oh and thank you for helping handle yesterdays trunk of junk”.

YA! Quite a prayer huh!

Did I secretly like this craplist? Some of us do that. I did that. Sorrow before joy kinda living.

The turning point was:
I listened to a friend with a painful story. (and am thankful to this day this person opened up. Eternally thankful)

So painful was this story...life story, I sat and listen like I had restless leg syndrome and would shake my head adamantly screeching, “NO! How could one person deal with all that? WHAT? You went through that?”

It would go on, “Oh stop! It can’t possibly get worse! OMG! It IS worse!”

And on, “Please I can’t take anymore. I am sorry I will listen to more! Where is the Kleenex! Let me hug you!”

This was a story of, betrayal, famine, defeat, death, abandonment, torture, loneliness, disease, lost love, theft and assault. (ya, the worst movie trailer ever X 3) It was like I watched a fast photo slide show in their eye’s as they softly spoke and shared this graphic, bring you to your knees, leave you breathless and sobbing in the fetal position story.

Horrifying to anyone. Especially horrifying to girl that makes a list of menial bullshit she went through in a given day.

Shortly after the last cigarette was put out, and this friend feeling very cleansed, smirked and leaned back with a shrug indicating there was no more to tell, my immediate questioning was, “How you are OK? How can you be ok? Are you OK? Are you?”

The response:
“Of course I am ok.”

HOW ! ! ! ! ! (I know I almost belched this in a VERY soprano squeal)

“Each day, another person’s smile, act of kindness, honesty, show of love, sacrifice kept me sane between AND through all the pain and became my food, my drink and fed my spirit.”

With the enhancer:
“How can I not feel blessed? ! ? !”

I was speechless. Shamed. Humbled. Sad. Inspired yet shamed again.

SO from that day forward, and for all the days after, the girl(me) in the far away village crumpled up and tossed all her long crap lists of what she went through in a day and pulled out a FRESH piece of paper and began feverishly writing a new list.

What was GOOD about my day?

This became SUCH a long list! And she looked forward to sharing pieces and parts of it will all the kingdom forever and ever more.

Oh she changed the title of her daily list too! From “Barbie’s List of Shit” (nope scratch that!) to “Overabovers”. It’s a crazy long list and makes me smile from ear to ear to add to it, read it, reread it and share it.

I will never miss an overabover again. And yes, it has become my food, my drink and feeds my spirit daily.

I no longer fall asleep or wake with a painful crease in my forehead.

How bad was your day? Did you have a lot on your plate?

betrayal
famine
defeat
death
abandonment
torture
loneliness
disease
lost love
theft
assault