First up, because I was about 40 minutes early, I found myself standing outside the shop section of a Yoga studio. As I stood there looking at the window display of crystals and singing bowls, a little orange and white furred dog and his human companion, crossed behind me. The next thing I knew, the little dog had come back and I watched his reflection as he nudged at my ankles. The human companion apologized, but I was so touched by this gesture of sweetness, that I turned around and spent some time stroking, and petting the dog's coat, all the while saying, "Thank you so much for taking the time to say, 'hello' to me!" The dog stayed by my ankles throughout the exchange and it was just such a lovely experience to have.
The second experience took place about 15 minutes later, as I now sat on the gray wood bench in front the Yoga studio. By that point a few people had made their way across the sidewalk in front of me in both directions. But one lady stopped and engaged me in conversation. She was a member of the older citizens of the world club. Her thick, curly, salt and pepper hair framed her face under her knitted winter hat. She wore sunglasses, and in her hand was a styrofoam cup which, I imagined, temporarily housed a delicious hot beverage perfect for 32 degree weather.
She asked if the studio was opening soon. I told her I believed it would in 15 minutes. And then, to my surprise, she invited me to come to her place of business about 4 doors down, saying I could be warm and sit on her very comfortable couch. Surprised and charmed, I thanked her for her kindness and generosity but said I would continue to wait. As she walked away, she assured me that if I changed my mind, the offer was still on the table. The offer was so random and so sweet and so specific in the warmth of its proffered hospitality, that I felt momentarily transported to a different time and place -- a time and place I desired to experience more of-- particularly from strangers-- in this my 21st century life.
My third experience took place about two hours later as I turned a corner and merged into the opposite direction of the oncoming pedestrian traffic. Suddenly, I heard someone say, "Do!" And another voice chimed in, "A deer, a female deer!"
"Re!"
"A drop of golden sun!"
"Mi!"
"A name, I call myself!"
Out of the corner of my eye, singing the Do Re Mi song in this fashion, was a bundled up lady pushing a stroller. She took the first line and then the little one in the stroller followed up with the next. So committed were they that even as our distance from each other increased, and their voices faded, I had no doubt they would finish singing the song. And it made me smile. And it made me want to sing along, too🙂