Hey, I was going to build on the novel “I” started yesterday, but my daughter sent this email and I thought it was perfect for a post:
So I’m in the café buying my lunch. It’s one of my favorites – a grilled vegetable Panini with fresh basil pesto and fresh mozzarella. This was the inspiration for the spread I made on July 4th. José always takes care of me. As I walked up – without a single word – he pointed to the veggie sandwich, I nodded, and he proceeded to fill a separate cup with extra pesto for me. This is just how I like it. Beaming, I thanked him for being so good to me and explained how I’m a better chef now because of him… as I modeled my family picnic meal after his lunches.
I walked to the cashier (a very grumbly, pessimistic 19 year old), smiled and this is our conversation:
“Hi Karen,” I said
She smiled and said, “I don’t know how you do it. You’re always so happy.”
Thinking about my recent and ongoing depressive state, I laughed and said, “Ha… you don’t know me that well. You only see me here. I have my moments.”
“We all do,” she said. “But you always manage to smile and be so happy.”
“Well,” I said, “I guess it just helps to smile. Even when things aren’t going so well… it can help.”
As I walked away, beaming from ear to ear… I briefly thought about my life, my finances, my love life, my current situation… and smiled even more. Sometimes it just takes a grilled veggie sandwich to make one truly happy.
peace……ag