I was noticeably frazzled today. I was gone on vacation (I know, lucky girl, champagne problem!) for 10 days and my first day home got stacked up with item after item, many items having deadlines that are today.
When I was in line at the grocery store at dinnertime, always a relaxing time to be in line at the grocery store (JUST KIDDING!), I practiced a few rounds of 5-6-7. Breathe in for 5 counts, hold for 6 counts, breath out for 7 counts. Then I did a loving kindness meditation for the woman in front of me with the huge jug of red wine; and then for the tattooed up guy who was running the cash register. I was smiling inside by the time he rung up my purchases.
Then I had to slow way down for an elderly woman who was leaving the store. There was another shopper like myself, a middle-aged woman, right behind the elderly woman and in front of me. She and I walked as slow as you would walk coming down the aisle as a bride in a wedding.
The elderly woman had both hands on the cart. She was wearing cream-colored tailored slacks, with a matching sweater that was cream on cream with an embroidered design. She had metallic gold flats on her slowly shuffling feet. Her hair was colored a reddish brown and was set with curls. There was an elegant looking older gentleman pulling the cart from the back as she pushed it from the front.
When we got outside, I stepped up to the woman who did the slow walk in front of me and asked her what she was thinking about the elderly pair.
“Oh, I was thinking, Oh my God, that’s going to be me someday, that old decrepit woman!”
“If you are lucky, that will be you someday,” I said. “I lost my mom 5 months ago and I’d give anything for that old lady to be her,” I continued.
“Yep, I lost my mom 3 years ago and I agree, I wish that were she,” she said.
“All I know is that woman gave us a beautiful gift just now”, said I. “She forced us to slow down and notice everything about what was right in front of us, plus we got the benefit of plugging into our thoughts, feelings and emotions about the moment. Have a great night!”
