Everyone has that one year that, when they think about it, even decades layer, makes them cringe. For me, that was junior year of college. A really tough (hindsight caveat: I guess?) break up and (hindsight caveat: mostly) years of my own insecurity all mounted together to send me spinning into a well of depression. I struggled with some unhealthy habits with food and exercise, and felt very lonely for several semesters.

But amidst all of that yuck, there’s one day in that year that glows as a happy, glorious memory: The Very Best Day of Junior Year.

• First Win: The caf was serving salmon and because lunchtime was a very stressful time for me—I was thrilled because salmon felt like a healthy indulgence
• Second Win: While waiting in line for my salmon delight, a friend texted me saying he had an extra ticket to the John Mayer show in Memphis and wanted me to join. I, like most college girls in 2010, LOVED John Mayer desperately. Not because he was hot, but because, you know, he was a true musician 😉
• Third Win: He actually had two extra tickets so my very best friend, Ellen, could come along too
• Fourth Win (!!): No need to pay them back, tickets were on them
• Throw in a cancelled Management Information Systems afternoon class and boom – I had myself a five star day

Ellen and I went to the concert that night and had a total blast with our friends, in complete disbelief that we were sitting a mere 20 rows from “The Greatest Guitarist of our Time” for free and by surprise. It truly felt like a giant silver lining in a stormcloud of a season. But it was after all, the very best day of junior year.

Ellen and I living our best life—and check out that fashion 😉

Nearly 10 years later, I was sharing with my husband, Ryan, how much that day meant to me and what a wash of relief it sent during a particularly tough time. (We went to the same university, but we weren’t very close then.) When I think about that day, even now, I smile because blessings were raining down on me. And when I told him about it, he looked up and quietly said, “Those were my tickets, I gave them to Jordan and told him to invite some friends. I was too busy and couldn’t go.”

That revelation of my own story knocked me over. Somehow, my generous, kind, and patient husband who gives me really good gifts almost daily, managed to gift me my very favorite day out of an entire year, even when he had nothing to do with me.

I believe that God is good, even when things are hard. And sometimes it takes years to unravel the little pockets of blessings He’s hidden in my story. And I’m sure there’s some things I’ll never know about. But I’m certainly glad one very good day involved the person who now makes all of my days even better. Salmon fillets and all.

xx – hh