You Make Your bed

Matthew is sleeping is his bed when he is suddenly awakened by a rock being thrown at his bedroom window. “What the heck is that?” He said to himself as he was rousted from his sleep. “Matthew! Matthew! Get up fool!” A voice called down to him from the other side of his bedroom window. Matthew climbed out of his messy bed and went to the bedroom window to investigate.

When he got to the window he looked outside of the sunny morning backdrop and found his friend Maurice yelling at the top of his voice. “Boy why are you yelling like a banshee?” Matthew called out as he opened his window. “Get up, boy. It’s Friday and we gotta go to work.” Maurice said playfully. “Look I just paid rent and ain’t got a dime to my name until tomorrow night.” Matthew started. Maurice came around the other side of the building and was let in the apartment by Matthew. “Well why you just gettin’ started, did you happen to make your bed like I told you?” Maurice asked.

“Why are you so bent on me making my bed?” Matthew asked while getting dressed. “What did I tell you before?” Maurice began. “Getting your bed made in the morning is winning the first battle of the day. It’s the small victories that count the most.” “And I bet I’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it makes huh?” Matthew asked sarcastically. “You actually would. You don’t realize how big of a difference winning the small battles can make.” Maurice concluded. After Matthew finished getting dressed the two headed out the door to get to work.

As they walked down the stairs of Matthew’s complex their bantered continued. “You see we’re running late right?” Maurice observed. “If you cleaned up your crib more then your work clothes wouldn’t be so hard to find and we would’ve been out of dodge in sixty seconds-” “Look, Nicolas Cage” Matthew interrupted sarcastically. Next time I’ll make sure the joint is spotless, that way I don’t have to hear your mouth about the little things, how bout that?”

“You don’t need to do it for me. You need to do it for yourself.” Maurice asserted. As they walked down duo walked to Maurice’s car a familiar face grab their attention. “What up crew?” The pretty girl greeted. “Hey, what up Sasha?” Matthew replied. “I see y’all are headed into work late just like me. Better not forget your name tags. You know Mr. Doug the Belvedere ain’t havin it.” Sasha asserted while getting in her car. Maurice then observed his and Matthew’s attire.

“I got my name tag on, where’s yours?” Maurice asked Matthew. “Dang it” Matthew started. I must’ve left it on the mess of my junky bed. “See, I told you to clean that mess up” Maurice replied. “Yeah yeah, look Maury. I’ve been dealing with a lot. After paying rent I don’t even have enough to buy dinner later.” Matthew replied glumly. “And I’m not being funny.” Maurice said strikingly.

“Matthew making your bed is an important affirmation that can flip the script of your whole day. If you don’t believe me go try it real quick when you look for your name tags. Matthew thought about Maurice’s words as he went back inside and started making his bed while searching for his name tag. He dusted the empty snack bags off his bed and pulled the comforter back to start pulling the sheets back over his lopsided mattress. As he reconnected the sheet to the bottom half of the mattress something fell out of the bottom of the sheet’s inside. It was a twenty dollar bill and a five dollar bill rolled into one.

This surprise brought joy to Matthew’s heart. After briefly examining the cash he continued to neatly finish making his bed and end by throwing the trash away that previously covered it. “Making my bed like Maurice said literally bought me dinner for tonight. I guess it was a small victory, just like Maurice said.” Matthew thought aloud. Matthew then walked outside and reconnected with Maurice with a smile on his face. “You finished making your bed is see.” Maurice said with a smile. “Yes I did” Matthew replied. “And you were right. It was a battle well won.” Matthew and Maurice hopped in Maurice’s car and headed to work, grateful that they had just won the first small victory of the day.