168 Marbles
To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, day and night, to make you everyone else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e.e. cummings
I may not have the flamenco moves down, yet, but I do have a pair of inspiring red patent shoes that I can wear to class. Problem is, the heels were worn down so today I took them to a shoe repair store. There wasn’t one in my area so I had to drive to find a shop - the shoe cobbler has gone the way of the dodo bird.
Yesterday, I drove out to another store and couldn’t bear to leave my lovely shoes at the dilapidated shop. I was half expecting to find the same remnant of a store today and was surprised to find a clean store with a quote from Oprah outside, “I still have my feet on the ground; I just wear better shoes.” This was already my kind of shop.
When I went inside, I was amazed to find a young, tattooed guy working there. He took my shoes and said he’d also remove the scuffmarks. Bonus. It didn’t matter that the amount it cost to replace the heels was more than the price for the shoes at a second-hand store. All I cared about is that my red shoes would be ready for dancing in a week.
As he was filling in my tag, I looked down at the counter and saw the above quote by e.e. cummings. I borrowed a piece of paper and a pen and started copying the quote. “I’m a nerd,” I explained to the young man. “That’s a good thing - nerds are smarter.” Then he offered me a chocolate. Now, I could live without a lot of things – bread, wine, coffee, even cheese – but if someone told me I could never have another chocolate, I’d be very upset with them. And this wasn’t just any chocolate, it was Swiss (I’m a chocolate snob).
“This place is very good,” I said as I thanked him for the chocolate. “Tell your friends,” he said, and so I am...there’s a little place on Main Street in Vancouver that takes something tedious like repairing shoes and transforms it into something special.
Today I am grateful for mundane errands turned into meaningful exchanges.
What would it take to invite exchanges into your life that match your energy? Go into the world and seek them out…
e.e. cummings
I may not have the flamenco moves down, yet, but I do have a pair of inspiring red patent shoes that I can wear to class. Problem is, the heels were worn down so today I took them to a shoe repair store. There wasn’t one in my area so I had to drive to find a shop - the shoe cobbler has gone the way of the dodo bird.
Yesterday, I drove out to another store and couldn’t bear to leave my lovely shoes at the dilapidated shop. I was half expecting to find the same remnant of a store today and was surprised to find a clean store with a quote from Oprah outside, “I still have my feet on the ground; I just wear better shoes.” This was already my kind of shop.
When I went inside, I was amazed to find a young, tattooed guy working there. He took my shoes and said he’d also remove the scuffmarks. Bonus. It didn’t matter that the amount it cost to replace the heels was more than the price for the shoes at a second-hand store. All I cared about is that my red shoes would be ready for dancing in a week.
As he was filling in my tag, I looked down at the counter and saw the above quote by e.e. cummings. I borrowed a piece of paper and a pen and started copying the quote. “I’m a nerd,” I explained to the young man. “That’s a good thing - nerds are smarter.” Then he offered me a chocolate. Now, I could live without a lot of things – bread, wine, coffee, even cheese – but if someone told me I could never have another chocolate, I’d be very upset with them. And this wasn’t just any chocolate, it was Swiss (I’m a chocolate snob).
“This place is very good,” I said as I thanked him for the chocolate. “Tell your friends,” he said, and so I am...there’s a little place on Main Street in Vancouver that takes something tedious like repairing shoes and transforms it into something special.
Today I am grateful for mundane errands turned into meaningful exchanges.
What would it take to invite exchanges into your life that match your energy? Go into the world and seek them out…
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