Getting Struck by Words

Can words strike us like someone hitting with a staff? Yes, I have been struck twice so far today, and it is still just 10 am!

What makes a good day?
This sentence is from the Corner Office section of The New York Times. Really, do we ever bother to think about what makes a good day for us?

Another one...

Old yearning can be hard to lay to rest.
This is from the book Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul. Well, that seems like a rare encounter with truth.