SOUR turned sweet...
You know those days... when NOTHING seems to go right. Everything goes wrong! and it just causes my mood to be SOUR! and grumpy! Well, today has been one of those days!
Today is the last day of school. I am not ready for it yet... but here it is!
i got to the gym late this morning, and didnt' get my full workout in.
the kids were late for their last day of school.
The dog chased after some deer this morning and ran all the way across the field. Wouldnt come back... and when he finally did... he was all wet and muddy... just in time for us to HAVE to be out the door!
I think that i will stop there-cause this story really does have a happy ending...
As i mentioned, today is the kids' last day of school. I so wanted to be home from work to greet them when they got home today. I hurried as fast as i could to finish my work. Finally got it all finished... but now i was running late to be able to beat them home! ug! I jumped in the car and off i was to see if i could get home in time.
Half way home... & Wouldn't you know it... just as i made the turn around the corner... 'DING DING DING DING....' with flashing red lights and two wooden arms coming down across the road to block my pathway through to the other side. URG! the TRAIN! I was fuming! 30 seconds earlier and i would have made it trough just fine! but oh no.......
Well, i was stuck! I sat there wanting to kick someone in the knees! (not really... but doesn't that sound like i was really mad & frustrated?!) Ü I was stuck... i just sat there, not able to go anywhere!, window down-left elbow on the window sill and chin in hand. Gruff!
Then... WOOOOOOt Woooooooot WOOOOOT the train whistle blared- here came the train.... As it started to get closer I looked up, just so frustrated cause i wanted to be home with the kids to see how their day went. As I looked up, the engine car was approaching the cross guards where i was, there... just sitting.... in my car--window down, elbow in sill, chin in hand-gruff!.- As the train approached, I saw the train engineer, half way hanging out of the window of his engine car, obviously enjoying the breeze as he was rolling along, & holding onto a partcially eaten RED apple in his right hand. He caught my stare as he approached (i imagine that my eyes looked like they were ready to spit nails Ü) and as we made eye contact, he smiled the SWEETEST smile of white teeth & wiggled his three fingers at me in a friendly wave. His pointer finger and thumb were still busy holding onto his red apple. As he did so, I became consious of what my face might look like. (not pretty) & all of a sudden, I noticed the scowl between my eyebrows started to soften. I started to notice & feel the perfectly warm sunshine on my face. All in just a little moment, I lifted my chin from hand, trying to hold his glance for as long as i could so that i had time to muster a little friendly wave back before he passed and was on with the rest of his day & journey.
With my chin now out of my hand, head up and that elbow at my side & hand now in my lap, I wondered.... who else is on that train? What are they like? Where are they going? What are their lives like? I wondered who the train engineer was. Where was he from? What was his life like? Did he drive his train every day? What else did he do? Was he always so happy? Where was he headed? What was he carrying in all his train cars? I wonder if he has a family? is he on a long trip? and his family missing him? I imagine that he has seen many beautiful things along his journeys on his train. and i imagined that he actually took the time to notice all those beautiful things that he passed along the way.
In that moment, I found myself being so thankful for his sweet and kind and bright smile-be it just a brief moment. It was causing a change, a shift in my day.
As the train continued to rumble pass on the metal tracks, (it was a long one- but i noticed that i didn't mind much anymore) I again paid attention to the warm sunshine on my cheeks. I closed my eyes for a moment, lifted my chin toward the sunshine and took in a deep breath. When I opened my eyes again, I noticed how pretty the snow capped mountains looked in the sunshine. The tops almost sparkled. The green mountain sides were brilliant. I noticed a momma horse standing next to her brand new baby that was rolling in the dirt, having a great time kicking up all kinds of dust. Next to the horses was a small field of fluffy white sheep feasting on grass as if there was never a care in the world. Watching over them, was a caramel colored calico kitty cat, perched on the old wooden fence, as if she were a sheep dog, sitting tall and proud with her tail wrapped around her. Just beneath her along the fence line was a great big, HUGE- garden of bearded Irises of every color! Purple and yellow, some red, pink, white, orange and some blue! They were tall and so beautiful! I wondered if they smelled good too...
I picked up my phone and called home. Drake answered. I was so thankful to know that they were both home safe and sound. I reminded him of how much i loved him. Let him know that i was on my way home, and couldn't Wait to hear about how the last day of school went.
I learned a lesson as i sat there waiting for the train to pass. Life goes by just way too fast. For as fast as life seems to pass, i shouldn't always be in such a hurry all the time! A simple warm smile from a friendly train engineer helped remind me that i need to slow down. Take those moments that pass in a flash if we aren't careful.
Although grumpy days will come-I promised myself that I won't let them last long. They too will pass, and i need to be better at finding the good in all moments.
From now on, whenever i hear a train whistle, I will stop-remember the warm smile i received today that changed the direction of my day, and make sure that i am paying special attention to the fleeting moments of life & not letting them pass without me noticing them. That i should try and take more moments to "eat apples and wave to those around me with a warm smile".
Today is the last day of school. I am not ready for it yet... but here it is!
i got to the gym late this morning, and didnt' get my full workout in.
the kids were late for their last day of school.
The dog chased after some deer this morning and ran all the way across the field. Wouldnt come back... and when he finally did... he was all wet and muddy... just in time for us to HAVE to be out the door!
I think that i will stop there-cause this story really does have a happy ending...
As i mentioned, today is the kids' last day of school. I so wanted to be home from work to greet them when they got home today. I hurried as fast as i could to finish my work. Finally got it all finished... but now i was running late to be able to beat them home! ug! I jumped in the car and off i was to see if i could get home in time.
Half way home... & Wouldn't you know it... just as i made the turn around the corner... 'DING DING DING DING....' with flashing red lights and two wooden arms coming down across the road to block my pathway through to the other side. URG! the TRAIN! I was fuming! 30 seconds earlier and i would have made it trough just fine! but oh no.......
Well, i was stuck! I sat there wanting to kick someone in the knees! (not really... but doesn't that sound like i was really mad & frustrated?!) Ü I was stuck... i just sat there, not able to go anywhere!, window down-left elbow on the window sill and chin in hand. Gruff!
ding ding ding ding...
Then... WOOOOOOt Woooooooot WOOOOOT the train whistle blared- here came the train.... As it started to get closer I looked up, just so frustrated cause i wanted to be home with the kids to see how their day went. As I looked up, the engine car was approaching the cross guards where i was, there... just sitting.... in my car--window down, elbow in sill, chin in hand-gruff!.- As the train approached, I saw the train engineer, half way hanging out of the window of his engine car, obviously enjoying the breeze as he was rolling along, & holding onto a partcially eaten RED apple in his right hand. He caught my stare as he approached (i imagine that my eyes looked like they were ready to spit nails Ü) and as we made eye contact, he smiled the SWEETEST smile of white teeth & wiggled his three fingers at me in a friendly wave. His pointer finger and thumb were still busy holding onto his red apple. As he did so, I became consious of what my face might look like. (not pretty) & all of a sudden, I noticed the scowl between my eyebrows started to soften. I started to notice & feel the perfectly warm sunshine on my face. All in just a little moment, I lifted my chin from hand, trying to hold his glance for as long as i could so that i had time to muster a little friendly wave back before he passed and was on with the rest of his day & journey.
With my chin now out of my hand, head up and that elbow at my side & hand now in my lap, I wondered.... who else is on that train? What are they like? Where are they going? What are their lives like? I wondered who the train engineer was. Where was he from? What was his life like? Did he drive his train every day? What else did he do? Was he always so happy? Where was he headed? What was he carrying in all his train cars? I wonder if he has a family? is he on a long trip? and his family missing him? I imagine that he has seen many beautiful things along his journeys on his train. and i imagined that he actually took the time to notice all those beautiful things that he passed along the way.
In that moment, I found myself being so thankful for his sweet and kind and bright smile-be it just a brief moment. It was causing a change, a shift in my day.
As the train continued to rumble pass on the metal tracks, (it was a long one- but i noticed that i didn't mind much anymore) I again paid attention to the warm sunshine on my cheeks. I closed my eyes for a moment, lifted my chin toward the sunshine and took in a deep breath. When I opened my eyes again, I noticed how pretty the snow capped mountains looked in the sunshine. The tops almost sparkled. The green mountain sides were brilliant. I noticed a momma horse standing next to her brand new baby that was rolling in the dirt, having a great time kicking up all kinds of dust. Next to the horses was a small field of fluffy white sheep feasting on grass as if there was never a care in the world. Watching over them, was a caramel colored calico kitty cat, perched on the old wooden fence, as if she were a sheep dog, sitting tall and proud with her tail wrapped around her. Just beneath her along the fence line was a great big, HUGE- garden of bearded Irises of every color! Purple and yellow, some red, pink, white, orange and some blue! They were tall and so beautiful! I wondered if they smelled good too...
I picked up my phone and called home. Drake answered. I was so thankful to know that they were both home safe and sound. I reminded him of how much i loved him. Let him know that i was on my way home, and couldn't Wait to hear about how the last day of school went.
I learned a lesson as i sat there waiting for the train to pass. Life goes by just way too fast. For as fast as life seems to pass, i shouldn't always be in such a hurry all the time! A simple warm smile from a friendly train engineer helped remind me that i need to slow down. Take those moments that pass in a flash if we aren't careful.
Although grumpy days will come-I promised myself that I won't let them last long. They too will pass, and i need to be better at finding the good in all moments.
From now on, whenever i hear a train whistle, I will stop-remember the warm smile i received today that changed the direction of my day, and make sure that i am paying special attention to the fleeting moments of life & not letting them pass without me noticing them. That i should try and take more moments to "eat apples and wave to those around me with a warm smile".
Comments