This week was rough.

Well, when I say rough, I don’t actually mean it. I still have a roof over my head, a mother who cooks us dinner and folds our laundry, and a car that goes fast when I’m late to school. This week was “rough” because I made it rough.

I believe in the power positive thinking, but forgot about how important it is, and went through my days with a dark grey cloud hanging over my head. The world was out to get me, and I was the victim of every bad thing that could possibly happen to an innocent, helpless teenage girl.

It all started when my banana fell on the floor.

I was running a little behind on my morning routine, and was quickly chopping a perfect banana. You know the kind, without any icky brown marks or gooey spots? It was that kind. I was overjoyed with my luck and banana picking skills, and happily started cutting it into little circles.

And by fate, and my hurried chopping, it slipped onto the floor.

The five second rule is not implied at our house, because with four dogs, the amount of hair that sticks to dropped food makes it just slightly less appetizing.

I starred at the hairy banana, and began crying actual tears. I couldn’t understand how such bad things happen to such good people.

(Now let’s take a moment to pause and clarify some things: I am being sarcastic, and a drama queen, but I actually did cry. Thank you teenage hormones.)

Luckily, my family wasn’t around to witness my hysterics, or mourn the loss of my banana. I cleaned the evidence up, throwing it in the trash with extreme remorse. “Clearly the universe doesn’t want me to have a banana today, so I’m going to eat plain Greek yogurt instead as a punishment.” I thought to myself, clearly not thinking anything through.

I choked down the flavorless yogurt with tears still in my eyes, and considered, actually considered, skipping school. All because my banana fell on the floor.

Fortunately, my logical brain kicked in, and I ended up making it through the day with only two mental breakdowns, a personal record.

If you aren’t picking up what I’m throwing down by this point, here’s what I’m saying: I may act, or seem like I have my life together, and everything is happy and positive in Maddie Land, but it’s not. I crack at something as stupid as a dropped banana.

Looking back now, I can laugh at how ridiculous the entire story is, but I learned a few things:

1. If you choose to wake up and play the “woe is me” victim card, your sky is going to be covered with rain clouds for eternity.

2. Plain Greek yogurt sucks.

3. If you dwell on the bad parts of your day, it makes it hard to remember your blessings.

4. There’s no use crying over dropped bananas.

Always,

Maddie Rheinheimer