Precious, unexpected moments

I posted my last post yesterday being in a strange mood. Maybe because I am still a little sick or whatever, I do not know. 

My kids came home from school and I was not expecting anyone except my husband, who has a key. So I was startled as always, the moment someone rang the bell. I tried to figure out who it might be but I do not know our peephole is not the best, all I could see looked like a woman in a funny hat like the ones you see at the Oktoberfest.

Against my better judgment, I opened the door. The closer we get to Christmas, the more people are in front of our door, collecting money and many of them are really … well not friendly, if you tell them no. Don’t get me wrong. I know, that all kinds of organizations need money, but I am donating already and if you yell at me, because I am telling you no, your chances are not rising to get something out of me. 

But back to yesterday. I opened, carefully, keeping the door not too wide open, to have an escape plan – well, I don’t know, what I was thinking. The dog instead of me, said hello like he does with everyone at our door step. It was indeed a woman carrying a wooden basket and wearing a kind of costume. She looked nice, she talked fast – like she knew she had to be quick not to lose me.

She was an artist. Aerial acrobatics if I remember correctly. Normally working for a circus without animals (what I like). I opened the door more, ready to support, since I already figured she was selling what was in her basket. She was so nice and so kind, telling me about being not able to find an employment within a circus this season and her sister being a carny, teaching her how to bake the coconut cookies and to roast almonds. She was not finished and I told her, I would love to buy something. It got a little embarrassing when I was struggling to find money, because I do not have a lot of it at home. But I managed, gave her a little tip as well and she was so grateful. 
Yes, of course, you can tell me now, it was only show, her big car may have been parked around the corner, everything she sold was overpriced and from a bigger store and not homemade or whatever. I am naive and I know it. But she was so nice and after she gave me the sweets, she told me, that she was walking the streets the whole day already and so many people have been just plain rude to her, even though she looked nice, talked politely … she seemed so desperate and I believed her.

In the end she thanked me so many times and told me to keep my heart as open as it is right now, and stay as nice as I have been. That it is rare these days

The moment she was gone, I broke down crying. 

She will never know what her words meant to me yesterday. I am still thinking of her. Regretting not to have done more. Maybe I’ll see her again. And maybe I will talk to her, if I gather the strength. She looked like a very interesting person with a lot to tell. With a lot of stories and being a writer this is something I love. Listening to people telling their story. But the chance is gone, I guess. But whether or not I will ever meet her again, she did a lot for me and she will never even know.

It is the little moments, the unexpected ones that are the most precious I guess. This is what stories are made of. We all should be open to this. It is worth our time, even though it seems the world is getting scarier and scarier every day, people are more hateful against each other. 

Stay safe and keep on rocking.

Yours sincerely