When the Day Arrives

Days we anticipate from afar seem like they're never going to arrive. Whether it's a wedding day, a graduation, or a retirement, long-awaited events feel like fantasies. It's a little like that today. Today is exam day for certified lactation consultants. Stephanie is reviewing her notes at the dining room table and will leave for the Irvine Hilton in half an hour with sharpened pencils, back-up ID, and lunch money. I'm trying to be quiet as I sit on the floor typing and sipping coffee. The exam is offered only once a year all over the world: Stephanie says they "lock the doors" at 9 am. This is serious! It's important, obviously, but it also has the quality of unreality. I suppose it's a credit to the human imagination that we latch on to events even though they feel like make-believe. It's what happens when we sign up for a half-marathon or book travel for a special vacation. We organize our efforts so that when the day finally arrives we are ready, but also a little surprised that the day has indeed come. Those special days become mileposts for our lives, but in anticipation they seem more like mirages.