the kindness of strangers

This morning, I woke up in a gloomy mood thinking of all the ways my country is being desecrated. I thought about the way some Germans had watched Hitler take over, and I imagined how they must have felt.  I dreaded hauling this old body out of bed.  But by the time I had finished my morning prayer, I knew that wouldn’t do.  So, I thought I’d be on the lookout for miracles today.

According to my definition (thank you, Course in Miracles) miracles are a shift in perception. I slogged my way to the gym and as I approached, a young man, probably in his 30’s stepped up to the intercom that buzzes us in and waved his card in front of it.  He held the door open for me, but instead of going in, he returned to his conversation, walking toward his car.  I shoved the door open and yelled, “Did you do that just for me?” He smiled and said he had.  What sweetness—one stranger looking out for another. That got my gratitude going, and I thought of an incident in traffic Friday. 

I was going somewhere I had never been and had to pull over to consult my GPS.  I put on my hazards, found where I was supposed to go, then pulled out to get in the left turn lane.  Suddenly this gray Camaro from behind me shot around me and got in the turning lane before I did.  “What a jerk,” I said.  When the light turned, we both turned left.   When we were on the straightaway, he stuck his hand out the window, made a fist, then splayed his fingers out.  He did that a few times and I realized he was telling me that I still had my hazards on. OMG.  He wasn’t being a jerk.  He was just navigating traffic and had the courtesy to give this addled driver the information she needed.

Now I’m home.  I’ve been to the gym and climbed to the 7^th floor, had lunch with my daughter, stopped at Publix for some Kefir, and made it home without incident. All of which reminds me once again that no day is ever as bad as I can imagine it will be.