just because...

I'm on a Wilco bender:
Wilco's One Wing
Make sure you click full screen mode to enhance your viewing pleasure.

giant flying bathtub at the Children's Museum in Phoenix

     Yesterday I spent the afternoon at a walk-in clinic where I waited to be diagnosed with bronchitis and given a script for heavy duty antibiotics and an inhaler. While I was waiting in the lobby for my chest x-ray, I met the loveliest older woman. I must admit that in my grumpy, sickly stupor, when she first opened her mouth to talk, I thought to myself, "Oh please, lady, not now. Can't you see we're all sick here?" But as she went on I quickly changed my mind. Her opening remark was something about her late husband always checking "yes" on intake form where the question asked about his sex.  She chuckled as she filled out the paperwork and begin talking about what a wonderful man her husband was and how lucky she was to share 35 years with him.

     It turns out she was not always happy. Apparently she was married once before to a man who tried to change her and force her to become someone she was not. But she said she was thankful because if she had never moved away with this man, she would never have met her second husband, who encouraged her to be who she was and taught her what love was all about. Together, he helped her fight breast cancer and a double mastectomy. She advised me to live every day like it's my last.

     I never caught this beautiful woman's name but I'm thankful she took the time to talk to me because what she shared really touched me. So the next time you feel yourself become annoyed with a stranger who wants to talk to you, check yourself because they just might have something to say.