Lucky Me

I know some of the best people, and I got to see a lot of them yesterday. 

Yesterday, I locked my keys in my car before church, not realizing until after.  For complications I don't feel like getting into at the moment, my car was parked about half a mile from the church.  Thankfully, Caitlin and her hubby were in the parking lot and shuttled me around.  We went:
back to the church (because I thought they had been in my coat and had fallen out when I took it off),

then out to my roommate's work to get her spare house key,

then to my apartment to get my spare car key,

then to an auto parts store so they could fix the crack in their windshield

then back to my car.

*~*~*~*~*

Earlier last week, I had made plans to go to the temple with a friend Saturday morning.  When that friend cancelled on me, I hit a slump (and realized I had missed my afternoon antidepressant the day before).  My legs didn't want to get out of bed and I had convinced myself that I wouldn't have the energy to:

• change clothes,
• drive all the way to the temple,
• do the work there,
• drive all the way home,
• shower,
• change clothes,
• do dishes,
• write,
• do laundry,
• change clothes,
• go to a church meeting,
• go home,
• change clothes,
• and then go and do more writing.  

I texted a friend about no longer wanting to put forth the effort to go to the temple, and he ragged me enough to go.  "Stop wimping out and move."  It took about 40 minutes for him to talk me into it, but I was glad he didn't give up. 

One of the reasons I'm glad is because I think I improved someone's day.  As soon as I saw her, I could tell there was something weighing on her mind.  She struggled with remembering some of the words she needed to say as part of the ceremony, and apologized profusely.  After her second or third apology, I realized that I didn't mind because her pausing after almost every phrase gave me time to think about said phrase.  After her fourth or fifth apology, I said, "I honestly don't mind.  It gives me time to think about it a little more."  Her eyes brightened a little and she made a special effort to thank me for coming before I left.  I wanted to tell her, "Don't thank me for being here, thank my friend.  Because, without him, I wouldn't have been."

 *~*~*~*~*

Talking to my dad last night reminded me how different my perspective is from most people's.  (This may belong in a separate post, but I've got some time so I'll say it here.)  I don't mean to boast, but sometimes I forget how positive a spin I put on most things.  I told my dad about a church calling I had turned down for various reasons.  The person who later accepted the calling often talked about all the ways it helped her grow.  Every time she said something about it, I felt a little less guilty for turning it down.  (I had done it so quickly I surprised myself.)  If I had accepted it, she wouldn't have had the chance to grow in those ways.  My dad said he (and he assumed most other people) would hear those stories and kick themselves with the "that-could-have-been-me" boot.  Honestly, until last night, that thought had never ocurred to me.

I'm just glad I'm able to see things the way I do.