Simple pleasures~

Today was a relaxing, do-what-I-want-to-do day. I had breakfast with a friend. We laughed and talked for three hours, sat outdoors at Bread Co. and watched people come and go. A middle-aged woman with a fake orange tan and rings on every finger, joyously embraced a man whose face was etched with life's struggles. He appeared to be her brother. She raised her blouse to show him a gunshot wound on her belly. Yikes! They sat and talked and chain-smoked for an hour.

Then, when they left, an elderly couple sat down at the same table. He took his sweetheart's hand, leaned in and proposed, but she shook her head NO and mentioned Social Security. He tried and tried unsuccessfully to persuade her. Were they old flames? New loves?

After they left, a van double parked, and an older man helped his wife, who appeared to be in the late stages of cancer, to a chair at that table. She wore a bandana, a grim, pained expression and an adult diaper which was exposed at her waistline. I so wanted to go tug her shirt down for her. She wore red socks, no shoes, and after her husband parked, he helped her shuffle inside to order. A bite of soup to keep her strength up? Perhaps her last wish for her favorite food????

Everybody has a story. Sitting outside this morning was like reading snippets of three books. It made me realize that everyday is a gift and the people who come into my life even for a moment, weave meaning into my day, make me aware of my vulnerabilities, and make me grateful for my health, husband, home, family and friends.

This afternoon I swam with my son and his family. Seeing his children is like experiencing my children at that age all over again. It is such a simple pleasure.

Then, Bill and I went to watch his 9 year old granddaughter, Morgan play baseball. She caught a fly ball in mid air over her head. It rolled off her head, down her neck and back and into the dirt. We laughed so hard; even she had to laugh. It reminded me of the first time I bowled, dropped the ball and it went backwards.

This wonderful breezy weather added to the beauty of my day.