Looking Forward To Friday?

By Karen McNew
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: February 1, 2008

Let me preface this by saying I understand that not everyone has “traditional” weekends off.  I have worked plenty of weekends in my day and know what it is like to have “off” days that are “off” from many others. 

Let’s think of Friday figuratively.  When I say Friday I mean the day before your one or two day break from work… or heavy thinking… or routine.  We look forward to Friday for many different reasons.  Sometimes the week has seemed longer than usual.  Sometimes we have missed a deadline we needed to make and just can’t wait to take a break and start with a clean slate “next week.”

Friday is a day when the mood around you usually feels a little lighter.  People may smile a little more...or be a little nicer than usual.  Is it because they are looking forward to a dinner date?  Is it because they can’t wait to sleep in on Saturday morning?  Perhaps there is a stack of movies waiting at home for the movie marathon that has been in the works for the last couple of days.

Some people thrive on a packed weekend.  I have one good friend who loves to read me the daily agenda for Saturday… and let me tell you the more things that can be packed in the day the better… Then, I have other friends who just love to sit around all day and nap and watch television.

Fridays are often so much fun that when you have a bad one it just throws your system out of whack a little bit.  Getting bad news on a Friday is never fun.  Seeing a loved one or friend in pain is never good… but on a day when you have so much to look forward to with an extra skip in your step.. hearing a loved one is hurting makes you almost feel guilty for the joy you were feeling.

This Friday is nearly done.  There has been a mix of good and bad news in my world.  There are weekend plans… some heavy and some light… but I know with any given “bad” Friday… I am as thankful to have it as I have ever been… Not necessarily because of the break that follows… I am just thankful for the day no matter what.

Sometimes it takes bad news from others to make us appreciate all that is good in our own lives and take the time to tell the people we love the most how much we care about them.