Honoring Every Day Triumphs

Triumph. It’s not a word we hear or use much today. It’s often relegated to epic times when courage, strength and spirit 
won over evil and darkness. Or it is used to describe people who overcome huge physical and mental odds to produce great works
of art and science.

But rarely do we think of it in terms of living life every day. In fact, I’d be hard-pressed to find an instance that I’d point
to as hands-in-the-air, head-thrown-back-in-astonishment-triumphant moment. But maybe that’s just it. Maybe it’s not about just
one moment.

The more complex life gets, the more I think that there are triumphs every day to be celebrated as such. And the largest
obstacle we triumph over every day is our own humanity.

These are the times we overcome pressure with grace, forgiveness and patience. When we solve problems with positive energy. When we give of our time and creativity freely to one another. When we bring people together. When we create something that educates, entertains and elevates.

I know what you are thinking. We recognize these achievements, but how can we celebrate them as “acts” of triumph when they flow from one moment to the next without much distinction? There isn’t a definite action to recognize with a photo, a statue or an award.

Perhaps the best way to be triumphant is not to be looking for an outside verification of it. Every moment we choose the high road, we triumph. Every time we see what is positive in what we or others do and act on it, we triumph. Every time we get to the end of the day and think, that was a good day and hope that tomorrow is even better, we have triumphed.

Triumph ““ a word not to be taken lightly “¦ or left dusty on the shelf with yesterday’s achievements.