Bookish Thursday - Magical Moments

 One of the new things WOW-Women on Writing has introduced with their book reviews, is to have those of us doing reviews to respond to a prompt. These prompts tie in with the book we have reviewed. In conjunction with my review of Rhea Thomas' book, Let Birds Fly, is to talk about a magical moment in my life. 

I'm actually pleased I procrastinated in writing this post because of something which happened to be last week.

My car was in a Firestone to get an oil change and a couple of other things done. While sitting in the waiting room, there were two other women also waiting. I'm 68, there was a younger white woman in her 30's and an African-American woman in her 40's. I know their ages, because it all came up later.

We all had been sitting there for about 30 minutes and on the waiting room TV was a 'car' show. The 40 year old woman starting nodding in agreement to things being said on the screen about some car related stuff. I made the comment to her, 'Oh, you must be a car person.'

And that started one of the best conversations I have had in ages.

The three of us sat there and discussed everything from religion to sex-ed in school and beyond. It was fantastic! A 30's single-mom on disability due to cancer, a 40's African-American woman who was a naval vet and now worked setting up road crews for the power company and this 60's white Southern liberal. A very diverse group. 

I was the first one to have her work done. When I stood up to leave, I realized we had been talking for well over an hour. Diverse beliefs were discussed. Different world views. And all chatted about with zero anger, controversy, or 'it's my way or the highway'. Just a great group expression of points of view. 

I actually regretted my car repairs being done so soon. 

Then on Tuesday, as I started my third trip in as many days, driving the 500 mile round trip from NC to Savannah, moving my daughter back home, I stopped for breakfast at a Bojangles. The lovely older lady who handed me my order (I walked in to stretch my legs), she asked how my day was going. I was tired and only halfway through the trip down. I just looked at her and sighed. She smiled and said my day was only going to get better. I put my jelly on my sausage biscuit and headed out. 

Several hours later, I am heading home with the last load of stuff. I needed to get some lunch and pulled off at a Bojangles. As I was doing so, I realized it was the same store I had stopped at for breakfast. Once again, I walked in to stretch my legs and use the restroom. and the same lady was still there. She looked at me and pointed, 'You were here this morning!'. I agreed and told her she had been so kind this morning, I had to come back.

With a big smile, she said she was so glad to see me and that I was looking happier than this morning. But her day had gone downhill and seeing me made her happy. 

But these events point out something I firmly believe in - you have the ability to bring a bit of magic into the world. All it takes is a smile and a willingness to meet someone halfway.