There’s a general unease to Sundays that I’ve felt for pretty much my entire life. It’s a back-to-school-I-have-a-test-that-I-didn’t-study-for feeling.
When I was a kid, I never understood The Commodores lyric, “I’m easy like Sunday morning.” Sunday morning sucks. Sunday morning is for church.
I was always curious why they would make the crappiest weekend day the sabbath. But I also couldn’t tell if part of the reason that I didn’t like Sunday was because I was always dragged to church. I thought Jews got it right by making Saturday the sabbath. Saturday’s awesome. You don’t have to go to school the next day.
I also never understood the lyrics to “Manic Monday.” “I wish it was Sunday because that’s my fun day”? Bullshit, The Bangles (or Prince).
In high school I started enjoying Sundays more when The Bills started winning. But each of those four Super Bowls was on a Sunday too.
I suppose I’m making light of the whole thing here but the Sunday jitters are real. I guess it’s the conditioning of a childhood spent with both a perfectionism towards schoolwork and a tendency to procrastinate that has prevented me from ever really enjoying a Sunday (unless the following Monday happens to be a holiday).
As I was writing this, my friend texted me. “Hey, I’ve noticed that you’ve been running a lot more.” I sure have! “You might want to get one of these.” And then he included a picture of an ID bracelet that one would wear in case one gets injured while running so they can identify you or your body or whatever. You know, like the authorities.
Now, to be fair, he showed me the one that he has but still. This, friends, is Sunday.
“Thanks for the dose of mortality!”
“Yeah, I debated sending this to you.”
As an adult, I mentally bribe myself. “Hey, man, Monday won’t be so bad. You’ll get your morning coffee.”
“I do that every day,” the voice in my head shoots back.
“Dude, just work with me here.”
As with all things anxiety related, the fear is worse than the reality. Every Monday, I wake up, get to the train, get my coffee, hit my morning meeting, and everything is just fine. But for now, I’m watching TV wondering why I can’t fully relax.
