"until I met a man who had no legs."

This has been the most amazing day! I've been dreading it all week, having to leave my hotel room for a room in a friends house. Knowing it's an impostion no matter how gracious her offer. We're a lot alike, my friend and I...both with grown children and very used to having our own "place". Private, quiet people the two of us. So, I know she's happy to help and sorry she has to.


The day started with me trying to shove 50 pounds of stuff in a 20 pound suitcase that was old when I was young. I'll tell you, it resisted the proccess! But with "friends" (thank you, you know who you are) bouncing, and a few not-so-polite words, it finally closed. By then, I was already
beat! I gethered everything else together and managed to get out by check out time.

So there I was, pulling approximately 100 pounds of 30 year old luggage on protesting wheels to the bus stop three blocks away. As I walked, I muttered to myself about how unfair all this was. Being tossed out, having a suitcase with square wheels, the fact that the bus would probably be late. Generally about everything that was wrong in my life, which was just about everything at that moment, in my estimation.

I was so busy watching the sidewalk and feuling my private "pity party" that I had run into the stroller before I even saw it. I muttered something without looking up which I hoped would be taken as an apology, thought I wasn't feeling exactly apologetic right that moment. When you see someone coming, move out of the way for God's sake!

I pulled my luggage straight at the bus stop and glanced into the stroller. It was big and old, possible older than my suitcase, and was held together in several places with duct tape. Inside was a baby, six or eight months old with carrot red curls, bright blue eyes, and a smile that took up his entire face. He giggled at the bump to the stroller, and I couldn't help it. I had to smile back. Something about his baby stare bothered me, but...

This time I actually looked at the woman holding the stroller handle. She wouldn't be called pretty, but her eyes were the same blue as the baby's and she had a calm, peaceful air about her. This time I apologized to her for running into the stroller. She smiled at me, and I was suddenly puzzled that I hadn't thought of her as pretty. She glanced down at the baby with a look of love you could have seen across the street.

"Doesn't appear Mikey minded a bit! It's nice to hear him laugh a little." That "something" in the back of my mind jumped and I looked at him again. His blue gaze seemed to be looking right at me, but his eyes had a far away, unfocused shine. His head seemed to big for his little neck to support and trembled just a bit.

I said something about how cute he was and her smile widened. "Oh I know! He's a real heartbreaker, Mikey. Already has 2 marraige proposals from the nurses. He's only 3, but that's 2 years longer than they said I'd have him, so every time he smiles, just makes my day."

In less than a second my mind flashed on my two beautiful children...my two incredible grandsons. I suddenely for the life of me couldn't remember one single thing that had seemed so horribly wrong with my life just minutes ago. The bus pulled up just then...it wasn't mine but I helped her with the stroller and they were gone. I just sat there, thinking about Mikey's smile.

My bus pulled up a few minutes later, and the day again took a downturn...the lift was broken, and no way was I getting my "load" on the bus without it. I had just started the thought "It figures..." when a young Hispanic man got off the bus. Big man! The kind that would have scared the hell out of me in a dark alley. He smiled, picked the whole bundle up and put it on the bus! I stood there with my mouth open for a few seconds, then got on the bus. I thanked him & he just waved it off.

Again, I sat, just thinking about things, and differently I might add. I had started the day angry and complaining about my lot. When his stop came, the young ma touched my shoulder and wished me luck with the bags! All my amazment for the day faded 35 minutes later when I got off the bus in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Now understand, the Rockies aren't like other mountains...there are no rolling hills that gradually increase in elevation. We have the foothills...one minute you're flat, the next you're looking up a sidewalk that goes at 90 degrees straight up! "Oh my God!" It was all I could get out, and 15 minutes and 3/4 of a block later, I couldn't even manage that!

At that moment, the very moment I had decided to stop and sleep right there on the sidewalk for the night, the next miracle of the day happened. A car pulled to the curb and the man inside asked if I was going up the hill, eyeing my luggage dubiously. I told him yeas, and he asked if I would like a ride. Now several things went through my mind...it was only 3 more blocks straight uphill, he might be a serial killer, Mom always said say no. I gave it exactly 1 seconds thought, told him yes and sank into the front seat! This wonderful man put my bags in the car, drove me right to the door and took them all out for me! I would have kissed him, but I think the weeping embarrassed him enough!

And my last miracle? My dear friend came home from her job and said she had talked to her employer about me and they wanted to hire me! In one minute, she erased 9 months of frustration and fear! It isn't a sure thing...I have to fill out the application and talk to them, but it's greenhouse work, which I'm familiar with and love, and they seem very excited that I would work the entire season. Imagine! Getting paid to play in the dirt and plant flowers! Heaven!

That has been my day of miracles! Of unexpected kindness from strangers...of a lesson in gratefulness taught by a child...of the miraculous offer of a job that came out of now where!

And so I sit here now, warm and safe, and think of my two children...my two beautiful grown children. On the computer I pull up pictures of my grandsons and study the perfect, intelligent little faces smiling at me, first one then the other. I'm going to bed now, in the soft bed my friend has offered, knowing that tomorrow, I have a job that will make me feel useful and human again.

Happiness is where you find it...and it's everywhere.