A note on kindness

Today was one of those days.

You know, the days when everything that can go wrong, will go wrong? Starting with waking up feeling that on-the-brink-of-getting-sick feeling. Ugg. The worst feeling you can have, especially on the first big week back at work after a lovely winter holiday break.

Then, the car breaks down. The car that isn't mine, but was borrowed with the hopes of taking the 4 wheel drive-r to the snow to catch some epic powder on the slopes (which didn't happen, due to the "significant other's" unpredictable work schedule). Thank you, ma, for letting me borrow the car. But the break down within a week? Epic fail.

Then, to the sub-zero bike ride to work. (Ok, sub-zero in my world is more like 35 degrees, but still!) Even bundled up in my five layers, with gloves, pea coat and all, I still almost lost a finger, my left foot and maybe a nose. It... Was... Cold. How those people who bike to work everyday in the winter do it, I have NO idea. Even Old Blue Eyes couldn't perk me up with his lovely crooner tunes. Brrrr....

The work day went by with relatively little fan fare. Thankfully I have a job where workdays are fun and bring exciting challenges and new ideas. Thank goodness for that.

Then I get home, ready to face the pile of laundry I have been thinking about tackling all day, only to realize that in my haste to get our marketing trip done yesterday I had picked out "fabric softener" instead of the intended "detergent." Who even uses fabric softener?! Isn't that what dryer sheets are for? Shupasaurus, time for a trip to the co-op! (Brrrrrrrr, again.)

Now, I've been trying all day not to fall in the grump haze. Sure, the day didn't go as planned. Sure, I have to figure out how to get to work tomorrow without a repeat of freeze-fest 2011. Ok, I wasted $6 on fabric softener that I in no way need.

What made the day shine was this: After waiting at the end of my street, almost in oncoming traffic, with a stalled out Jeep, for nearly half an hour, hoping Shupasaurus would answer his stupid phone (!), a lovely woman stopped. She pulled over, got out and asked if I needed a hand. White gloves and all, she pushed the Jeep while I steered it out of the street and into the parking lane. Then she even asked if I needed a ride to wherever I was headed. THAT is what gives me hope. Someone stopped and took three minutes out of their busy day to care about a complete stranger. She took (seriously) five minutes to stop and help someone else, rather than rushing here or there, like everyone else (including my neighbors!)

So thanks, stranger lady. You really made my day. I hope your day was awesome and you win the lottery or something, because you deserve it.

(I won't mention that I got a parking ticket for leaving my car there.)

:)