We Are In This Together Or Should Be

I had one of those little reminders yesterday. You know, the ones when you remember to be grateful?

Ready To Start The Day

I was heading out to do some pet-sitting. I was a little stressed but it also involved picking up one of my favorite repeat doggie visitors and having lunch with one of my favorite people. So not so bad. 😀 Anyway, I decided to stop at McDonald’s for a smoothie because I was out of smoothie supplies at home. Or maybe too lazy to look for them…whatever. Then I realized I had earned a free smoothie! Yay! So I ordered a large, even though I usually only get a medium and headed for my favorite curbside parking spot. But, someone was in it. Dang it. Ok, there’s another one. But, someone was in it. Double dang it.

Ok, I guess I’ll just change it to the drive-thru. But, I really wanted to sit there and have them deliver it to me. Waah! I reminded myself that I was still getting a free smoothie and headed for the line.

Drive Through Drama

There was only one car ahead of me so no big deal, right? Wrong. (You saw that one coming, I’m sure.)

I waited a shocking amount of time behind this one car at the pay window and thought how ironically hard I was “working” for my free drink. I wasn’t upset, I was just disappointed, I guess the word would be. Finally, it was my turn and I got my receipt for my free drink after some confusing confusion about what my order was. It’s like, I talked to you at the drive thru screen, man, you knew I was coming.

Then I waited a shocking amount of time behind the same car at the food pick up window.

Eventually, it was my turn. He handed me my smoothie and told me to have a nice day. I said it back and headed off. And as I was pulling away, I heard him say, with relief “Ok, we got one out of the way.”

Trying To Stay Afloat

And it just resonated with me. Sure, I had to wait way too long for my smoothie. But, his tone told me that they were drowning in there and while I was off to live my much more leisurely day, he and his co-workers had to keep treading water. (That’s right, people, I’m sticking with the drowning metaphor.)

I was glad I was polite to him. (Not that I wouldn’t be.) Maybe my patience and politeness were like a momentary life preserver in his day! Too much?

Anyway, the point is, we shouldn’t forget to look outside ourselves and remember that the world doesn’t revolve around us, as cool as that would be. We are all just doing the best we can in this crazy world. Life is beautiful but life is hard. Especially when you’re just trying to get some hangry people their food and one thirsty girl a smoothie.