This morning, after working out, I threw on my warmest coat and hat over my sweats and headed out to drop off my daughter?s car at the repair shop. The temperature was 21 degrees, with a wind chill of 10 degrees. Winter has finally arrived, at least temperature-wise. Before I dropped off the car, I made a quick stop at the store to pick up goodies for a Mastermind group I am hosting this afternoon. Once the car had been deposited, I set off on the 3 mile walk home. About a minute into it, I realized that the tote bag I was carrying, which contained the groceries, was not going to work slung over one shoulder. Instead, I fashioned it like a backpack, one handle on each shoulder, and off I went.
About 3 blocks into the walk, already freezing cold, I happen upon a convenience store that sells lottery tickets. Perfect, I think, as I had wanted to pick up a few. I enter the store, wearing my makeshift backpack and say to the proprietor, ?Wow ? good to get out of the cold!? He nods, and gives me the look as if to say, ?Another street person?? I tell him I want some lottery tickets ? again, the nod. Then, trying to have him warm up to me, I say ?Well, if I win, you win too!? He looks me in the eye and says, ?No, I hope YOU win.? I smile and walk out of the store ? forgetting my glasses, which I realize as soon as I walk out and can see nothing. I go back in and retrieve them, getting one final nod.
As I stop to adjust my pack, and add my winning tickets to the mix, I look down?and there is a heart. OK, not the most perfect heart I?ve ever found, but close enough for me. I begin my walk home and lose track of how many other hearts I see. And then, as I am nearing home, I see some recycling that has blown out of the container and I go over to retrieve it. I can do nothing but laugh as I look down and see that I have just picked up a catalog ? featuring heart shaped cookies.
I may not win the lottery tonight ? or ever. But today I started my day with a story and a smile ? and that is priceless.
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