Last week was one of those weeks that are just busy. One day was particularly challenging, in a good way. You know the kind of day: one phone call, email and text after another. Taking care of a few “challenges”, talking to potential clients. Before I knew it, it was almost 1:00 pm and I was starving.

I walked over to a great deli near the office and found it unusually crowded. But the wait gave me a chance to take a deep breath and start to relax. Just as I finished giving my order, I heard a woman’s voice behind saying, “May I buy your lunch?”.  I wondered who she was talking to and looked around. But there was no one there but the two of us. I was surprised, shocked actually, and asked “Me?”. She smiled and shook her head and said, “Yes, you.”

I am not proud to say that my first instinct was not to be gracious and say thank you. It was, “Why is she asking me? What is this about?” But, I took a deep breath, looked into her eyes and said “That would be so nice, thank you.”

We had a lovely conversation for the next 10 minutes while waiting for our lunches. I found out that she is a very spiritual person, she loves to read. She has two children and three grandchildren and she is very proud of them. She is studying Kriya Massage and contemplating that as a second career when she retires. She loves healthy, good food.

Our lunches arrived, we smiled and said goodbye. Maybe our paths will cross again. I hope so.

This encounter made my day. I left the deli with a different outlook than when I entered, I was smiling, had a lighter step, and felt “good”.

It made me wonder how many other opportunities we miss in this life when we are so focused on ourselves that we don’t see the good around us; when we aren’t open to letting the unexpected into our lives and hearts. It is something to think about!