Snapshots of Life

We were at Bar Cento the other night for dinner. The kids were enjoying their pizza and I was sipping champagne. It was BC's 1st anniversary so it was cause for celebration. If you've ever tailgated with me, you know bubbles go right to head and give me the warm fuzzies all over. I started to look around at the people around us. It was like taking a picture of each person, couple, group. Click. Couple at bar. They are in a very intense discussion. She is crying. She hides her face behind her long hair. He looks not at her, but more through her, over her left shoulder. Click. Gen X'ers relaxing after a hard days work. Dressed like pages from an upscale emo magazine. They drink wine while they play with an iphone and laugh. Click. The woman next to us. She is waiting and waiting and waiting for others to join her. They are obviously very late and she is not too happy. Reagan gives her a few looks and she smiles, but no conversation. Click Loud table at the end. A group of about 6 having a great time. They seem to be co-workers from Fox8 news since one of them has a camera with a big FOX8 logo on the side. Click Group to our right. A welcoming group as friends come in and pull up chairs. Not part of the original group of diners, but welcomed none the less. They make friends with Nolan and comment on his lady-killing eyes. Click My very own table. My daughter leans into my arm and hugs me. Depeche Mode is playing in the background...."All I ever wanted, All I ever needed, Is here in my arms"......... A fitting song for that very moment. A moment that will become part of my life's soundtrack. Back to the couple at the bar. They are now hugging and she is smiling. In the few minutes it took me to scan the room something changed for her. Did he say the right words to comfort her, makes things right or did she come to some realization about her problems. Who knows, but in a couple of breaths something changed. Today at the grocery store, Nolan was playing peek-a-boo with a lady in a wheelchair. She looked sad, but for a moment she smiled at him and played. Maybe he made the difference in her day today. I was rushing to self check out the groceries because it was verging on nap time for the kids. A bagger came over to help me out and he must have seen the kids were getting antsy and I was starting to move faster. I thanked him and told him it was time for us to go home and he said, just take a breath, its fine. What an amusing idea. Just Take A Breath. We all rush through the day to get to the finish line. Why are we rushing? What is the payoff? Just take a breath and enjoy the world around you. Who knows it might make your day so bright you share the goodness with others and don't even know you are doing it!