Thursday, October 25, 2018

A cold and cloudy morning

The view from my perch on the front bench of the Sukoon Cafe is a gray parking lot with gray and black cars nestle up to each other for warmth.

High trimmed oaks with dark green and a speckling of yellowing leaves struggle against the blandness, almost succeeding. But above their quiescent, domed heads a gray, cloudy sky fights back, forcing their colors to remain muted and dull.

It's so still and quiet.

A few cars drift by in front of the cafe, moving left to right or right to left depending on which shop is the next destination. Haircut? Groceries? Breakfast? Laundry?

A young man in worn jeans and a brown plaid shirt with the tails hanging out walks by in front of the cafe, lights up a cigarette and leans against the stone pillar. He has white ear bud wires dangling from his skull, down the back of his collar and into a device in his back pocket. I wonder who or what is he waiting for. What is he listening to?

I wish him well in my head. 

I wonder if his day will be one to remember or just another one he won't be able to recall. Does his wife pick him up from just having a haircut or is he waiting for a cab to take him to his first day in boot camp. His first day away from family and friends.

Just now a complete stranger, an elderly man with short wisps of white hair peeking out from a well worn Marine ball cap passes by my perch and catches my eye through the glass. He nods, smiles and tilts his head in silent greeting. I nod back and give him a quick, casual salute.

He returns the salute, a little less casual than mine and continues on. He's on his way to the Mamma's Daughters, the breakfast cafe a few steps away. He looks like a two eggs over easy, hash browns, bacon with biscuit and sausage gravy kind of guy. And coffee. Strong. Black and bitter, please.

That smile lifted the grayness just a bit. 

It's time to get my own day started.

Smile. It's good for your face and your soul.


Monday, January 15, 2018

Say hello...

Did you say 'Hi' to anyone today? I mean make eye contact, smile and say 'Good morning. Good to see you this morning' or some such.

I highly recommend you try it. Every day, whenever you can.

You won't get enough chances in life to share a moment with someone, be it friend, co-worker, family member or total stranger. You've probably forgotten how easy and rewarding it is.

Along the road to adulthood, we start replacing simple pleasures and interactions with a more mature attitude of the world. We stop giggling at each other and with each other. We pretend we don't find puns funny. Captain Kangaroo gives way to Captain Kirk. (Just an example ;-) I love Star Trek!)

Instead of patting each other on the back or punching a shoulder in greeting, we shake hands or just grunt our hellos, hardly glancing up from our cell phones.

Instead of enjoying a game of jacks in the driveway with the neighbor kids, we have to plan a party.

Instead of playing 'horse' around a hoop with no net, we pay hundreds of dollars to sit in a cramped, noisy arena watching someone else have all the fun.

Try it just once for me. Tomorrow, say hello to someone and extend your hand in friendship. Let them know you want them to have a good day. Stop and enjoy the moment.

Offer to play jacks at lunch and see what happens.

Be Happy
Be Cool
Just Be