The worst of times, the best of times.

Posted on by dannygregory

What if:

You could know,
with absolute certainty,
that the worst day of your life was behind you.
And the second worst too.
Would that knowledge change how you lived,
what risks you took,
what dreams you had?

And what if you could know that
the best day of your life
was yet to come.
How would that change your life?

And, even if you couldn’t really know for sure,
what would happen if you lived
as if you did?

23 thoughts on “The worst of times, the best of times.”

  2. How wonderful. I have to get busy. Sometimes there’s not a damn thing you can do except keep going forward. I’m hoping for more if the best but it’s all about creating the good times, surviving the bad times and doing the best we can do in the light of love. I was touched by “What if?” And motivated.

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  5. All I know is you’ve been through the worst, AND you’ve had a lot of BEST … AND you GIVE a lot of BEST to a lot of us Folks … Life is a bumpy journey, full of surprises, some awful, some awfully good! I say keep trucking, keep creating as much good as we can, keep visualizing, hoping for positive, great stuff. In the end the good wins out … Hopefully!

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  7. Coming from you Danny, this question has a lot of meaning for me. I hope that I can face life with similar courage and resourcefulness and attitude that you so wonderfully exhibit. Ultimately we answer it everyday whether we want to or not.

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  8. When is your book, Art Before Breakfast, going to be available?? I’ve been waiting for it for a month now…from amazon. This is getting ridiculous!!

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  9. I try to keep death at my side so i can say well i better just do whatever is important today. Not in a depressed way but in a way to appreciate life. My husband and i are selling all our belongings except sketching supplies,my knife set and my best skillet and heading on an endless journey with 2 suitcases each. Keeping the car. We are going to rent furnished apartments 3 months in each place. Always new and inspired is the way i want to feel.

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  10. I always keep that scene from the movie “As good as it gets” in my head where Jack Nicholson comes into a waiting room full of psychiatric patients and literally says “What if this is as good as it gets?”.

    When I presented this idea to some of my friends they were slightly uncomfortable. Everybody wanted things be different to get better and seemed so discontent (or maybe just disconnected?) with their lives, but I found it rather comforting. If this is as good as it gets I have to work with what I’ve got and make the most of it. I can’t wait for a time where things get better and I’m somehow mystically ready for something. That time never comes. This is it.

    I don’t believe the best day is yet to come, nor the worst. I believe there are just days and some are fantastic and some are bloody awful and that’s just life. It’s much more important to focus on the things that speak to you and do the things you love to do as much as you can. To be true to yourself and follow your own path with all the obstacles and treasures that come with it. I definitely think this will lead to a lot more good days than bad ones in the end.

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  11. I don’t know if I’ve had the worst (I hope so), and I don’t know if I’ve had the best (I hope not). I live each day as it comes and hope for the best.

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  12. The worst days in my life involved loved ones…so I hope that the worst days are over. The rest of the past is gone; so no shoulda, coulda, woulda. I plan to enjoy my future mainly by being positive and happy that I have a new day to savor, new experience to come and that I am loved. As for changes, already made a few, will play it by ear for the future. I love the idea that Sheryl and her husband will become nomads. But I am not keen on doing it alone. Good time to start sketching an imaginary trek.

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  13. I know it’s a hard day today. But you’ve done real good to a lot of people with your beautiful attitude. You are an inspiration to lots of people in the world. Thank you Danny!

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  15. I’m grateful that you decided to live your life out loud–the good parts and the hard parts. I stay with your blog (and recommend it so often) for the humanity I find here–along with the inspiration, fantastic art, and championship for art making. I so appreciate this space. May your very best days be ahead.

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  16. The best day of my life is today, not yesterday or tomorrow. It is what I choose to do with the opportunities in my hands.

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  18. Danny, thank you for all you do and have done to inspire so many of us. Best Regards to you and your son and all those you love….

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