Sometimes you have a friend you hardly know but you are just friends. Once I went on a bus tour to New York and Tracy was on the bus with family. I was on my own. Through the jigs and the reels, well actually it was more like show tunes and happy hours I got to know Tracy. She was kind and included me and checked in with me and shared her candy on the bus. Sometimes that's enough to base a friendship on.

We live in the same town. She works here at Sobeys and we have stayed friends.We never go to each others houses or anything but we sincerely check in when we see each other. 

I like her lots.

So today I saw her in the store wheeling a big cart of meat. I never recognize her cause she often has on a hairnet and a mask. Then I look in her eyes and it's Tracy, and I am always happy to see her.

So she asked how I was and I told her I was having a day. It was a series of small things that made me decide to take the rest of the afternoon off.  I told her being at the grocery store calmed me a bit and she rolled her eyes having worked there for 25 years. I told her I hardly ever get groceries and will eat plain noodles to avoid going there.

She  told me she was having a bit of a day too. We yammered at each other over our carts. And by the time I had wandered off and gotten to the dairy section I felt better. So I circled back to the deli where she works and told her, "really I got nothing to complain about. I am lucky." And she said, "I know. We are. We just needed to get it off our chest.We got nothing to complain about"

Then I looked longingly at the cold cuts and she said," Do you want some?".  I never buy them but I said yes cause they came with free Kaiser rolls. So I left with a half pound of honey ham, and half pound of sun dried tomato roast turkey and my free rolls and I felt a lot better.  Then she told me that the roast turkey was my friend Don's favourite . And we both smiled because we know how much he loves to eat.

And then I bought some fancy crisp breads and some diet ginger ale and some kettle cooked potato chips and I felt better just for having met her there. Just for having been heard and understood. And also for realizing that a frustrating day is nothing. It's no big deal and that stupid little things that upset you are just like those speed bumps on the roads where they want you to slow down.

And that you always have to come back to gratitude. You always have to circle back and really think about what is important. This is what we need to do. You have to ask yourself, "Was this really a hard day? Was it really a hard day after all?" So often the answer is obvious.

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