Ramblings: Smiling on a yucky day
Yesterday was a yucky day. We all have them from time to time, and yesterday was like a proverbial Monday in my world. Everything in the cosmos seemed to align in just the perfect way so that I spent the entire day “putting out fires” at work. I hate those days, because once they are over (at a much later hour than is reasonable) I look back and feel like I haven’t accomplished a thing from my lengthy “to-do” list. Granted I found out that a medical issue that kicked in during the stress of wedding planning and a really stressful job situation at the same time is looking MUCH better. I think that says alot for my mental status as well…either I’ve learned to cope via a more healthy process or the meds are doing their job. Either way I feel better and that is a huge plus in my world.
Wait, where was I? So, yeah long, yucky day in my world. I left the office at 7 PM and headed towards the grocery store since it was my night to cook. I was tired, grumpy, and annoyed that I still needed to get groceries, go home and change, put in a little gym time, and cook dinner all before I could shower and call it a night. Really annoyed! I stomped around the Publix like a spoiled 3-year old who wasn’t getting her way. I put in my order at the fish counter, gathered my other items, and picked up my really heavy fish package then headed to the 10 items of less lane. At least I was next in line and wouldn’t have to wait 15 minutes to get the rest of my night going…or so I thought. I realized that I was in line behind an elderly gentleman with a cart full of groceries. Um…10 items or less lane….hello?!? So I stood there, annoyed as he slowly put one item at a time on the belt. I tried to “practice patience” but I could feel it building up in me, and then something funny happened. I noticed him, the elderly man. He had those eyes that smiled, as he finished unloading his cart and waited for his wife to drive around in her electric chair to unload the last few items. They laughed and giggled about how she was always adding last minute items to the cart, and as the cashier mouthed the silent words “I’m so sorry” to me, it hit me that it really didn’t matter. I wondered how many little moments that Brainy and I miss by hurrying all the time. Here was this older couple still clearly in love enjoying grocery shopping of all things. 15 minutes later I checked out with my 2lbs (instead of the 1lb I asked for) of salmon, limes, and granola bars, and ended up walking out of the store with the elderly lady and her electric chair, and offered her a spot under my umbrella since they were parked near my car. She said thank you, and joked that I could sit in her basket and she’d wheel me right to the car. Then with a little giggle she asked me if I knew why she let the “boys” go ahead of her with the cart & groceries? I shook my head and she giggled again as she pointed out what a “cute tushy” her husband had. I laughed all the way home, and smiled the rest of the night even each time I thought about her. I hope when Brainy and I are in their stage of life I’m still checking out his “cute tushy”.
Have you ever been reminded on a bad day that the little things are still smile worthy? If so, please share!!
