diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 12e83cf..80bfa20 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -25,16 +25,15 @@ digital, automated version of that.
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/andrei-stoica/rusty-tasks.git
-cd rusty-task
-cargo install --path .
+cd rusty-task cargo install --path .
 ```
 
 Alternatively, there is a binary download for AMD64 Linux machines available 
 on the [releases page](https://github.com/andrei-stoica/rusty-tasks/releases).
-Just drop that anywhere on you PATH. I recommend adding `~/bin` to your PATH
+Just drop that anywhere on your PATH. I recommend adding `~/bin` to your PATH
 and dropping the executable there.
 
-If you are not on a AMD64 Linux machine, you will need to build from source.
+If you are not on an AMD64 Linux machine, you will need to build from source.
 I have not tested this on other platforms, so I hesitate to provide binaries
 for them.
 
@@ -46,6 +45,7 @@ Usage: rusty-tasks [OPTIONS]
 Options:
   -c, --config <FILE>        set config file to use
   -C, --current-config       show current config file
+  -d, --date <DATE>          view a specific date's file (format: YYYY-MM-DD)
   -p, --previous <PREVIOUS>  view previous day's notes [default: 0]
   -l, --list                 list closest files to date
   -n, --number <NUMBER>      number of files to list [default: 5]
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ Use `rust-task -p <n>` to access a previous day's file where `<n>` is the number
 of days back you want to go. If a file does not exist for that day, it will
 default to the closest to that date. A value of 0 represents today's file.
 
+Alternatively, use `--date` or `-d` to specify a date specifically. Preferably
+in the format year-month-day, padding with zero is optional. However, if the
+year, or, year and month are omitted they will be filled in with the current
+date's year and month. For example, If the current date is `2024-2-30`, the
+string `4` will resolve to `2024-2-4`, and `1-4` will resolve to `2024-1-4`.
+
 Specify a custom config location with `-c`, otherwise, it will scan for a config
 in the locations specified in the [config section](#config). If no config
 exists it will create one. To see what config is being loaded you can use `-C`.
diff --git a/src/cli/mod.rs b/src/cli/mod.rs
index d3cba42..87fcde5 100644
--- a/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use chrono::{Datelike, NaiveDate};
 use clap::Parser;
 
 #[derive(Parser, Debug)]
@@ -10,6 +11,9 @@ pub struct Args {
     #[arg(short = 'C', long)]
     pub current_config: bool,
 
+    /// view a specific date's file (YYYY-MM-DD)
+    #[arg(short, long)]
+    pub date: Option<String>,
     /// view previous day's notes
     #[arg(short = 'p', long, default_value_t = 0)]
     pub previous: u16,
@@ -27,3 +31,74 @@ pub struct Args {
     #[arg(short, long, action = clap::ArgAction::Count)]
     pub verbose: u8,
 }
+
+pub fn smart_parse_date(date_str: &str, cur_date: &NaiveDate) -> Option<NaiveDate> {
+    let full_date_fmt = "%Y-%m-%d";
+
+    if let Ok(date) = NaiveDate::parse_from_str(date_str, &full_date_fmt) {
+        return Some(date);
+    }
+    let parts: Vec<&str> = date_str.split('-').collect();
+
+    match parts.len() {
+        1 => cur_date.with_day(parts[0].parse().unwrap_or(cur_date.day())),
+        2 => cur_date
+            .with_day(parts[1].parse().unwrap_or(cur_date.day()))?
+            .with_month(parts[0].parse().unwrap_or(cur_date.month())),
+        3 => NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(
+            parts[0].parse().ok()?,
+            parts[1].parse().ok()?,
+            parts[2].parse().ok()?,
+        ),
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_smart_parse_date() {
+        let good_date = NaiveDate::from_ymd_opt(2024, 01, 03).expect("Invalid date specified");
+        let good_date_str = good_date.format("%Y-%m-%d").to_string();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            Some(good_date),
+            smart_parse_date(&good_date_str, &good_date)
+        );
+        let no_padding_date_str = "2024-1-3";
+        assert_eq!(
+            Some(good_date),
+            smart_parse_date(no_padding_date_str, &good_date)
+        );
+
+        let bad_day_str = "2024-01-99";
+        assert_eq!(None, smart_parse_date(bad_day_str, &good_date));
+        let no_day_str = "2024-01";
+        assert_eq!(None, smart_parse_date(no_day_str, &good_date));
+
+        let bad_month_str = "2024-25-01";
+        assert_eq!(None, smart_parse_date(bad_month_str, &good_date));
+        let no_month_str = "2024-14";
+        assert_eq!(None, smart_parse_date(no_month_str, &good_date));
+
+        let no_year_str = "01-03";
+        assert_eq!(Some(good_date), smart_parse_date(no_year_str, &good_date));
+        let bad_month_no_year_str = "25-01";
+        assert_eq!(None, smart_parse_date(bad_month_no_year_str, &good_date));
+        let bad_day_no_year_str = "01-35";
+        assert_eq!(None, smart_parse_date(bad_day_no_year_str, &good_date));
+
+        let no_year_month_str = "03";
+        assert_eq!(
+            Some(good_date),
+            smart_parse_date(no_year_month_str, &good_date)
+        );
+        let bad_day_no_year_month_str = "35";
+        assert_eq!(
+            None,
+            smart_parse_date(bad_day_no_year_month_str, &good_date)
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2def14c..43f61e6 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ fn main() {
 
     // get clossest files to specified date
     let today = Local::now().date_naive();
-    let target = today - TimeDelta::try_days(args.previous.into()).unwrap();
+    let target = if let Some(date_str) = args.date {
+        cli::smart_parse_date(&date_str, &today).expect("Could not parse date")
+    } else {
+        today - TimeDelta::try_days(args.previous.into()).unwrap()
+    };
     let closest_files = TodoFile::get_closest_files(files.collect(), target, args.number);
     // list files
     if args.list {